Let's keep it real

Prices continue to rise but we can still keep it real. That's my goal. And I believe it to be very possible.

Local Nourishment has a great post on this, full of links to give you more ideas. It can be done! And then I want to point you to Storybook Woods who will show you how to do it with class!!! I'll be making her Roasted-Garlic Pumpkin Humus, only I don't have pumpkin. I really don't think it will be a problem. I'll just roast some squash! We all like humus, but my oldest has a love for the creamy dip! And all that garlic will be good for him as he's trying to recover from the flu.

Last night we had two large homemade pizzas that were, oh, so yummy! They only cost us $4.50. That's 75 cents a person. We might just have to implement a regular pizza night!

Food Budget Inspiration

I'm simply out perusing blogs trying to find some new ideas and motivation to keep the grocery budget in check. I thought I'd share them with anyone who might be reading here. And this post will serve as a reference for me.

I enter a state of shock every time I walk into a grocery store. I guess its just my personality. I never get over it. I'm sorely missing my garden vegetables! I didn't realize how much they were saving me. Which reminds me, I need to get out there and plant a bunch of garlic.

30 Bucks a Week This lady appears to be an excellent cook. I'm not seeing any "cheap" food here, lots of interest and variety using whole foods.

I like her cookbook list which features books by Mark Bittman and Alice Waters.

Sugar Crafter I'll show this to my husband and I'll just bet I'll be getting a Pumpkin Spice Latte! Sounds so yum!

TasteSpotting Just another new-to-me food blog. So many options!

Seven Spoons Oh, so many good looking recipes and cookbooks! The chutney looks incredibly scrumptious and the brussel sprouts call my name.

While browsing around I ran into a lot of articles that I remember reading a few years back about the Food Stamp Challenge. Basicly, people spent a dollar a meal per person. Even politicians gave this a try. Actually, this is quite standard in our home. This is my goal. I know other moms who spend less than this. I was visiting with one just yesterday. She has 3 times the children I do (Yes, that's 12 children that she is blessed with!) and she was sharing some of her techniques for staying within a budget.

After my little tour I have new inspiration. I'll continue to cook real food on a budget, always trying new recipes and using what is available to us at the time. I'm off to enjoy a hot cup of tea while I read aloud. Maybe a latte this weekend.....

Middle of the Night Browsing

I couldn't sleep......

So I'm browsing online, something I don't do very often. I have my list of blogs that I read through Bloglines, check my e-mail and then I'm off to do "real life". But my every-once-in-awhile midnight readings do lend some gems.

Storybook Woods is always a delight for the eyes! Clarice has stated that is a goal she holds for her blog and I'd say she's accomplished just that! I was browsing the lists of blogs that she reads and ran across Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day. I own the book and love, love, love it, but didn't realize they have a blog! And just look at all those wonderful bread recipes. I'm thrilled to see they are sharing how to bake bread on a grill. How brilliant! My bread baking has come to a screeching halt as we have had at least 90* weather for days on end. But I've missed the simple pleasure of fresh bread.

I hope all of you have had a wonderful weekend celebrating our dear country's 233rd birthday! We enjoyed lots of fellowship with friends and family. I feel very blessed! I want to thank all of the soldiers out there who are sacrificing all on my behalf......I thank the families of each of the soldiers, too. You are all appreciated and held up in my prayers. I'm overwhelmed to think of all that others have done down through the years so that I can enjoy freedom today. Let's not give it up. Let's not let their sacrifice be in vain!

May God have mercy on these United States of America!

So Simple, Incredible Soup!

Simple Cauliflower Soup

There is no way for me to describe how wonderful this soup was! Just amazing! I will make this again and again! It takes mere minutes, uses only a few ingredients, all of which are very good for you! What could be better?

Treat yourself!

Raw Kale Avocado Salad

We love the salad! And I'm so glad. I plan to grow lots of this stuff this summer and I'm so thankful we've found a way that we can eat *lots* of this green, raw!

Sara at Happy Food has a great post about this salad, along with a video that will even show you how to make it!

This is what we put in our salad. I think next time I'll cut back on the lemon juice a bit. Zeke said, "This is spicy!" I think he meant very tangy! :) All of the kids agreed that it was good.

• 1/2 pound baby kale
  
• 1/2 cup tomato, chopped
  
• 1/2 avocado
• 2 tablespoons olive oil or hemp seed oil (go for less if you can)
• Juice from 1/2 lemon
• Real Salt sea salt, to taste (1/4 - 1/2 t)

Grocery Cart Challenge ~ Share your recipes here

First Harvest

I picked half a pound of kale today. Doesn't sound like much, but that is a big bowl of kale! I'm so excited to be trying a new kale salad for supper. I'll let you know how we like it.

Today, we planted more peas, sugar snap this time. We still need to plant the plain old garden pea. While cleaning out a bed and raking up the leaves I found 5 beautiful romaine lettuce plants that had self seeded. I did a happy little squeal an dance. And then explained, "I'm so excited." My soon to 13 year old smiled and said, "We can tell!" I loved that red speckled romaine that I had last year. I've already started some in flats here in the house but it was a great surprise to know that I have some a couple of inches tall already in my garden!

We're debating whether or not to till up a "field garden". I've told so many people that I'd never do it again, but I'm wanting more space. I'd love to plant long rows of peas. We can never get enough of them, even from the Farmer's Market. I often buy everything the man brings and we go home and still eat them all raw. My poor husband never gets to enjoy any of them. They are like candy to the kids and I. I've heard gardeners say they are their appetizer as they stroll through the garden.

I'm looking for wonderful ways to eat kale raw. Do you have a favorite way? I enjoy it stir fried but I really hate to do that if I can find a way my family will love it raw. Why cook it? We like a little bit of it in salads but not a whole salad of just kale. Actually the recipe I'm trying tonight is
made using kale as the only "green". I'll let you know how it turns out.

One Million Pounds

Path to Freedom is hosting a challenge and we're going to participate! Want to join us?! You can find all the information you need right here. Together can we grow a million pounds?

I agree with this man, again.

Ron Paul spoke in Congress on something I'm passionate about. Might seem silly to many or even scary (why, I'm not sure) to some, but to me it is just "freedom" and common sense.

Statement of Congressman Ron Paul

Introducing Legislation Allowing Interstate Shipment of Unpasteurized Milk

January 29, 2009

“Madame Speaker, I rise to introduce legislation that allows the shipment and distribution of unpasteurized milk and milk products for human consumption across state lines. This legislation removes an unconstitutional restraint on farmers who wish to sell or otherwise distribute, and people who wish to consume, unpasteurized milk and milk products.

My office has heard from numerous people who would like to obtain unpasteurized milk. Many of these people have done their own research and come to the conclusion that unpasteurized milk is healthier than pasteurized milk. These Americans have the right to consume these products without having the federal government second-guess their judgment about what products best promote health.

If there are legitimate concerns about the safety of unpasteurized milk, those concerns should be addressed at the state and local level. I urge my colleagues to join me in promoting consumers’ rights, the original intent of the Constitution, and federalism by cosponsoring my legislation to allow the interstate shipment of unpasteurized milk and milk products for human consumption.”

Stonewall Kitchen

I've always enjoyed flipping through the Stonewall Kitchen catalog. I've never placed an order, everything seemed very much out of my price range! Browsing always inspired ideas of what I could do in my own kitchen, though.

Well....yesterday at one of our favorite discount stores (Duffy's, if you are from around here) I found Orange Zest Pancake and Waffle Mix from Stonewall Kitchen for 89 cents, plus I had a 20% off coupon! This morning we enjoyed a big batch of these pancakes. And they are very yummy! I'm continually amazed at all the good things God gives for me to enjoy!

Black-eyed Peas with Ham

This recipe is so simple that it's almost embarrassing to post but it was also so yummy that I'd hate for someone to miss out on it if they've never tried it.

Since yesterday we had two music lessons and basketball practice, along with lots of errands to fit in around them, I knew I needed something in the crock pot ready for us when we arrived home in the evening. I had the bread baked and ready but what to throw in the crock pot? Here you go. It can't be any simpler than this! Takeout would take longer! And everyone thought it tasted great!

3 cans of Black-eyed Peas (could be more than this)
1 pound of ham, chopped however you like

That's it!

The bread is a new recipe I tried, Multi-Grain Seeded Bread, from the new Eating Well magazine.

I also wanted to include a link to an article that is a good reminder to all parents.
Top 10 Brain Foods for Kids

You can find more frugal recipes at The Grocery Cart Challenge.

Back to our Routine

Oh, it's so good to be back into our routine. I truly love my days. Days that are made up of minutes. I have few minutes alone. I have a wonderful family to take care of! A friend of mine always reminds me that never ending laundry, meals to cook, and dishes mounted high just mean that we are blessed. It means we have family and friends to love! And this is so very true!

Monday we spent our day cleaning, room by room. As always, we didn't get as much done as we would have liked, but we did accomplish a lot and had a great time doing it. Yesterday, we did a few activities that I suppose you could call "schoolish" but that's not what we were thinking as we did them. We watched a new Moody Science movie (Tim and I got the kids the set for Christmas.), while we ate bowls of popcorn. Oh, and we learned some new music! We've listened to Go and Tell Greater Vision Kids too many times for my to count. And we're all singing along already even though we hadn't heard any of the songs before Sunday night. (Thanks, Julie!) And there was basketball practice.

But today.....we got to read aloud, together, alone, and in pairs. Anytime that happens it would have to be a great day, right?! We just moved down our "list", which has such a comfortable feel to it. We baked together, too, and really enjoyed the new wheat bread we made! We have another Multi-grain bread raising right now. It's the kind I'll make into a round loaf, covered in seeds and bake in my new cast iron dutch oven. Can't wait. We mixed it up this morning and it will set all day, go in the refrigerator all night (to enhance the flavor) and then I'll let it rise one more time in the morning and into the oven it will go! I don't imagine it will last long after it comes out, bread never does around here.

Here in a little bit, I'll call the kids in from playing outside and we'll ready ourselves for our mid-week church service where we'll sing, pray, and worship together. And I'll thank God once again for the awesome blessing it is so meet with other believers without any fear of harm. In the mornings, as the children and I read our Bibles together, I often pause with overwhelming gratitude to thank God for the incredible privilege of spending my day, all day, with my children. I wouldn't trade it for anything! I want to savor every minute of these freedoms that I so enjoy!

A Good Day

For the past few weeks I've been feeling especially blessed. I've been overwhelmed with the love and support from my family and friends. I was reminded of it again this morning when my sister in law woke me up just to tell me what she'd dreamed last night, my mom called soon after for just a little chat, and then my little brother, now traveling to his far off home, called to just let me know where he was. And the realization of just how rich my life is washed over me all over again.

During the Christmas season, I felt so thankful for my husband and children. I can't help but offer silent prayers of thanks as I sit with my children all curled up around me as we listen to Tim read God's Word to us. The night we opened our gifts together here at home was a little bit of heaven here on earth....peace, contentment, and thankfulness....we couldn't have asked for more.

And today was another sweet reminder of all God's goodness in my life. Today was the kind of day I would call a favorite of mine......

Enjoyed breakfast with my family. Did a little laundry. Puttered around in the kitchen a bit and then headed outside with temps already in the lower 60's. We all cleaned up a few things from the "leaf fort" that the kids had made. And did a few other odd and end jobs. I fixed a simple lunch (Kashmir Spinach-but not from scratch), but Kiersten made it all into a tea party and we all sat around a lot longer than normal just talking and enjoying the food and fellowship. After we cleaned up, I ordered my garden seeds for the year, most of them anyhow. I'm sure I'll find other things that I just can't resist but the bulk of the buying is done.

Just ordering those seeds made need to dig in the dirt a little bit. Tim turned over my compost pile for me and then I added that wonderful, rich, black dirt to some of my raised beds. We worked outside until supper time. Supper was a simple Taco Salad made with chicken. It's days like this that make you wish spring was already here. It certainly felt as though it could be spring today. Absolutely beautiful. I just closed my kitchen window a few minutes ago and the air still felt heavenly.

This evening we all watched "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington".

I think I have everything a girl could want. Dirt to dig in that is my own, plenty yummy food, and a family to share it with. And the knowledge that it is only of God's grace that I enjoy each of these gifts. It's the simple things in life that bring me the most enjoyment. That little plot of land in my back yard is one of my favorite spots. My favorite people live under my roof and I get to spend every day with them.

Life is good!

Our Afternoon

We spent about 3 hours baking and then an hour cleaning and getting supper ready. We ended up making Chocolate Covered Pretzels, Oatmeal Coconut Cookies, Oven Baked Caramel Corn (Thanks, Joyce!), and Tiger Butter(Thanks, Leslie!). We let the cookies get a bit too brown but they are yummy; more for us to eat, I suppose. After starting on the Caramel Corn I realized I only had a couple tablespoons of corn syrup, instead of 1/2 cup as the recipe called for. I don't know how much of a difference this made, since this was my first attempt at this recipe. (But I've saved it in my files and will be able to try it again sometime. Progress....)

All of treats were made using ingredients I already had on hand. We could have made lots more with what we had on hand. I suppose getting iced in was good for my budget. I saved time and money, what a deal! :)

Oh, and I keep forgetting that we made a pan of brownies to take with us to church on Wednesday night. We'll be caroling throughout our community and when we get done, we'll all enjoy different soups that each of us will bring, along with goodies. This has been a tradition for years and years for our family and we look forward to doing this with our church family.

Our kitchen was a busy, fun, happy place this afternoon.

Plans For Today

I had planned a big shopping day today but we are iced in so we'll enjoy our time at home instead. We spent our normal time reading aloud this morning. The kids and I are thoroughly enjoying our reading of Jotham’s Journey! I’ve wanted to read the book for several years and I’m sorry I waited this long. It’s definitely a favorite with all of us.

I really do need to get some baking/goody making done for get-togethers that we'll hopefully be able to go to later in the week. I have all the ingredients for caramel corn and that sounds really yummy.

I think I'll dig through my pantry and see if I can't make some tiger bark, too. Wonder what all we could make just using pantry items??? Could be a fun project! I'll post later and report our accomplishments.

The idea of making caramel corn and tiger bark came from friends. At our Thanksgiving meal I realized how every food on my table bore the influence of friends or family. Nothing was original with me. There was my Grandma’s Cranberry Salad, my Mother in Law’s Sweet Potato Casserole, my Mom’s bleu cheese/romaine salad, and Tim’s aunt’s hash brown Casserole. And a new recipe, Brown Buttered Pecan Broccoli, that Clarice recommended. I always take note when Clarice says something is yummy! I’ve never fixed anything that she suggests that my family has not loved, especially my husband. She’s just own of those ladies that knows what good food is all about!

I love food and I enjoy cooking. I always seem to have way too many new recipes to try. There aren’t enough meals to fit them all in! I so wish that over the years I would have kept track of all the different recipes that we love, but I haven’t! I make something new; we love it and I go on to something else new that we will enjoy, too, but I’m not organized in all of this. For instance when, we were first married, Tim and I had a very limited food budget. I would cook everything from scratch and I might add, I had a great time doing it! Pancakes are cheap food and we made them every way imaginable! We made special syrups for our special pancakes. One meal we remember was Scottish Oatmeal Pancakes with an orange syrup. I’ve tried many other Scottish Oatmeal Pancake recipes but none of them are like those first ones I made. Wouldn’t it be fun for me to be able to look back on all the different pancake recipes that I used in those first years of our married life?

I am making progress, though, not all is lost. I have a three ring binder with sheet protectors that I use to store favorite recipes.

Sweet Appreciation

For some time now, at almost every meal, Zeke will turn to me and thank me very specifically for his food. It's so precious. Those words make it all worth it!

Today as he was enjoying his whole strawberry, organic jam on toast, these were his chosen words, "Mmmm, this is good! Thank you, mommy, you cook my eggs. Give me 5!"

Oh, that I would be that grateful for what others do for me. Just a thoughtful, sincere thank-you can do so much to lift my spirits.

Pumpkin Days

Every fall I use pumpkin in new ways. Over the years we've made frozen pumpkin pie, pumpkin cheesecake, pumpkin yeast rolls, pumpkin butter and pumpkin pancakes.

Last Saturday we enjoyed Susan's Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins ~ a big YUM! I doubled the chocolate chips, like she suggested, and we didn't regret it! My family declared them a "keeper".

Last night was a rare occasion at our house. Tim and I were ALONE! I decided to make pumpkin biscuits, and a big salad. I made a bed of chopped romaine. In the center I put a rounded scoop of tuna salad, and then I sprinkled chopped red peppers, black olives and farmer's cheese all over the top. It was pretty and tasty! Everything was simple, yummy, and peaceful. :) Tonight we were back to normal with all the kids around the table!

I found the recipe for the Pumpkin Biscuits at About. com:Home Cooking.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour (and maybe a little more, see instructions)
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 Tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/3 cup cold butter, cut into cubes
• 3/4 cup pumpkin puree (canned or homemade)
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/4 cup melted butter

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 450 F. Lightly grease a baking sheet.

Whisk together flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice. Place flour mixture in a food processor, fitted with the metal blade. Add cold butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse bread crumbs.

Remove to a bowl and stir in pumpkin and milk. Mix just until moistened and a soft dough forms. If the dough is too wet to handle, stir in additional flour, just enough so you can handle it.

Roll out dough to 1/2-inch thick on a lightly floured board. Using a floured biscuit cutter, cut into 2-inch circles. Place on prepared pan 1 inch apart and brush with melted butter. Bake for 8 to 12 minutes, until golden brown.

Serve pumpkin biscuits right out of the oven with butter, honey, or honey butter.

Yield: about 12 biscuits

note: I changed the amount of baking powder from 3 Tbsp. to 1 Tbsp. When I prepared these I couldn't imagine that they would need 3 Tbsp. Using 1 Tbsp. worked out just fine.

Dairy/Wheat Free Meal Ideas

For various reasons, we are experimenting with eating a Gluten/Dairy Free diet. I've decided to record some of our meals here as a reference for myself and also for anyone else that may be contemplating this.

Today's breakfast consisted of:
Fried Eggs
Oatmeal with your choice of Agave Nectar, Raw Honey, Molasses, Peanut Butter, and Flax Oil
Fruit Shakes ~ These seem to always be different. Today we enjoyed blueberries, bananas, flax oil, almond milk, and Pineapple/Coconut Juice with a bit of Barley Green Powder (you don't taste this).
Yum!

Today's Lunch:
Baked Talapia
Romaine Salad
Brussil Sprouts (This sounds like a funny combination but I could eat brussel sprouts with any meal! I love 'em!)

And for supper:
This was a pantry meal that was very thrown together!
Hamburger (from a local farmer), with rice and onion. Instead of cooking the rice in water I used Organic French Onion Soup and cooked it all together.
I served this with green beans. Very basic pantry eating! But it must not have been too bad or else everyone was very hungry because all but about a half of a cup is gone!

For snacks we enjoyed:
Sesame Rice Cracker
Apple Sauce
Pineapple Rings
Apples
Raisins
Juice Sprintzers
Dark Chocolate with Cacoa Nibs
Bananas
Wild Rice Cakes with Peanut Butter and Honey
My kids can never make it all the way to the next meal without some snacks, as you can see!

I miss being able to cook whatever I want. I feel like this "diet" hampers my creativity but we are making the best of it and we've eaten some wonderful food along the way!

More Neurotoxins

Back in the spring, I shared some information I had received at a conference. The lady speaking made a very strong statement, "Sugar is a neurotoxin." Today, as I was flipping through Sally Fallon's book, I read that she believes MSG and hydrolyzed protein are also neurotoxins. Now, it doesn't at all surprise me that MSG would qualify as such a poison. But hydrolyzed protein somehow seems much more innocent to me. Guess I need to wise up a bit!

Another great reason to eat "real food"!

Local Food

I'm getting my food locally, about as close to home as is possible ~ right outside my back door. We love every bite and we feel so grateful for all God has provided for us. Just this morning, I worked up a great sweat as I harvested some radicchio, kale, and tomatoes.

But I just started purchasing some vegetables from the neighbor down the road, not even a mile away. This older gentleman has a stand out by the road (highway), with a canopy set up. The tomatoes and onions rest in bins on a table, along with a cooler filled with ice and stocked with peppers, cucumbers, and okra. He has his prices posted on a dry erase board and a scale hangs from the canopy. Oh, and the money box is setting on the table, also.

I can't believe I haven't been buying from him, every day, all summer long! Look at these prices ~~~
cucumbers 25 cents
tomatoes $1 a pound
okra $2 a pound
peppers 25 cents
onions 50 cents
Amazing!!! Oh, and they are so fresh and lovely!

But you know what I love? I love that he trusts everyone with his money box right out there in the open. Even my children are amazed! I love the idea of helping a neighbor, a retired person, who will benefit from my enjoying his food that he labored to grow. I love the fact that he'll get every penny of what I pay for my produce. I'm thankful he didn't have to use fuel or time to transport his vegetables. I love the feeling of "community" I get from the simple act of buying my food in this fashion.

I'm so thankful to live in America where I still have the freedom to grow my own food, purchase my food from my neighbors, praise God openly for his bounty, all while my children bustle about me, happily content with this gloriously simple life the Lord has given to us. How blessed I am!

***Remember to check out Biblical Womanhood's Frugal Friday Tips***

Dutch Babies

We eat breakfast at our house, every single day! And if it's cereal my kids think they're being mistreated! Frugal Upstate started a series on Frugal Food and part 1 will be about the egg. We love eggs around here and I have a recipe that I want to add to her list. I plan to check out all of the submissions that she receives. Perhaps we'll add another favorite to our breakfast menu.

Dutch Babies

~~Place 1 stick of butter in a 9x13 pan and place in 425* oven.
note: If times are tough you can cut the stick in half and it will work!

~~In blender combine:
2 cups flour
2 cups milk
8 eggs
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla (again, you can skip the vanilla if need be)

~~Pour into melted butter and return to oven for 20-25 min.

~~Cut into squares and serve with butter and syrup, powdered sugar, or even fruit, or fruit syrup. We always add peanut butter, but that's just us.

~~This will puff up in pan.