tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11801296115942752892024-03-18T09:07:27.216-04:00The Messy Organic MumThe Messy Organic Mumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00836448856608266593noreply@blogger.comBlogger194125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180129611594275289.post-12371637891071774932023-11-09T08:31:00.000-05:002023-11-09T08:31:19.815-05:00Sourdough Waffles and Cast Iron<p>In my last post, I told you how I have been experimenting with sourdough. A family favorite has been waffles. I have tried different types of flour, a mixture of all purpose and cornmeal and every time, they have come out amazingly! It has taken weeks to get enough pictures to be able to even write this out because they disappear so quickly. </p><p>Waffles at least once a week has become a staple. Prior to this, we never really had a waffle iron we liked so we really didn't make waffles. My dad would make waffles at his house and they were always perfect so why would I also make them. For our anniversary this year, we were gifted a <a href="https://amzn.to/3LS5LOe" target="_blank">waffle iron like my dad's in a cool teal color.</a></p><p>To be fair, we had received a Belgian waffle maker as a gift in the past but we just never really used it except to make buttermilk waffles occasionally. Waffles felt like a lot of prep work and takes forever! Using sourdough though, <strike>allowed</strike> requires me to plan the night before. Sometimes we tell ourselves to do this but I am learning with sourdough it is a huge requirement and sometimes a commitment. There are definitely times when the next day I don't want to do something but I already have the dough ready to go so I am already committed (like the doctor's appointment only less hold/waiting room music). It has really forced me to have my morning a little more mapped out. Also, I know everyone tells you that if you do part of it in the evening, the next morning will be easier but those of us who don't do that, never believe them. I can admit though, since I make most of it ahead of time, just adding the egg, maple syrup, salt and baking soda when I get up, it is pretty easy.</p><p>Here's the recipe with the rest of the sage is below, in case you are in a hurry.</p><p><b>Sourdough Waffles</b></p><p>2 cups organic flour (or 1.5 cups flour and 1/2 cup cornmeal) - can be AP or <a href="https://amzn.to/3Fsf7g1" target="_blank">Graham flour</a><br />1.5 cups water<br />1 cup active sourdough starter</p><p>Mix ingredients together, cover and allow to ferment overnight.</p><p>2 eggs<br />1/2 cup organic olive oil<br />2 TBSP maple syrup<br />1 tsp salt<br />1 tsp baking soda dissolved in 1 TBSP water<br /></p><p>Add the eggs, oil, syrup and salt to the batter. Combine thoroughly! It is ok if the batter seems to "deflate" a little.</p><p>After it is all mixed, stir in the baking soda mixture. </p><p>Pour batter on waffle iron and enjoy.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8FTdkTNHbYkyWTSzHN_AhAXvXwEduo4DLC7MLwg-SUO1cJAeXMlCvrxfiO2EaMmUOcITQstyvlqLtC7-ny7Wqv_keS2TnGp9dnauolpuxjdALEql_OKXzdGEeILiYTESBscPUdti5MKBRqXDvxT-odYxd9XaUdNLXTTuF3oc67ZakPnjEch5RiEhUVNMm/s4032/PXL_20230925_125941928.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8FTdkTNHbYkyWTSzHN_AhAXvXwEduo4DLC7MLwg-SUO1cJAeXMlCvrxfiO2EaMmUOcITQstyvlqLtC7-ny7Wqv_keS2TnGp9dnauolpuxjdALEql_OKXzdGEeILiYTESBscPUdti5MKBRqXDvxT-odYxd9XaUdNLXTTuF3oc67ZakPnjEch5RiEhUVNMm/w210-h280/PXL_20230925_125941928.jpg" width="210" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Waffles from the teal maker</td></tr></tbody></table> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisejZbZJ5y0RRWdLYj0Hu7HES2si6vBoFnA0F-lOw0SkBRXpQcbNq0agohHiRaRU_LARvAFBdRgBU5PqvMihRjY8bbiZWork5P_c3l3NvY7ZQAYgUnbCfSdF9m5rqGFiJ4FISqePgWc2BmDvYOVuE-RqUHedd0diu5YWyNbFliRjYgELaXW28pC4lQ6wdj/s4032/PXL_20230925_130012392.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisejZbZJ5y0RRWdLYj0Hu7HES2si6vBoFnA0F-lOw0SkBRXpQcbNq0agohHiRaRU_LARvAFBdRgBU5PqvMihRjY8bbiZWork5P_c3l3NvY7ZQAYgUnbCfSdF9m5rqGFiJ4FISqePgWc2BmDvYOVuE-RqUHedd0diu5YWyNbFliRjYgELaXW28pC4lQ6wdj/w368-h276/PXL_20230925_130012392.jpg" width="368" /></a><br /><br /><p>Okay, back to the waffle iron saga. By now I hope y'all know that I am not in love with non-stick appliances or pans. So, if I am going to make waffles for my family every week, I want a better waffle iron option. As an added incentive, Sukkot was coming up which for us means 8 days of camping. My second born has really become a little foodie and last Sukkot, I would wake up to him cooking venison tenderloin on the fire pit using a grate over a half burned out log so he could channel the flame and heat, adjusting however he wished. Long story short, him and I began dreaming about a cast iron waffle iron. </p><p>(Cue music) </p><p>Enter Amazon. No seriously I wouldn't even know where to look locally! So we started researching a Made in the USA cast iron waffle iron or rather a Not made in China cast iron waffle iron. After too much time, I found great reviews for <a href="https://amzn.to/3Q82Umw" target="_blank">one from Lehman's</a>. I misunderstood that it was not Lehman's but an imported from China, an "other" brand. So that went back and my search for a Lodge or Griswold began. Within a few days, I found one about 3.5 hours from us that looked in good shape and was being sold by someone who wasn't looking for our first born or/and our retirement! I decided a family road trip was in order and the kids happily jumped on board and convinced my husband we all should go ASAP. When we almost cancelled/postponed, tears started to fall. </p><p>A lovely fall foliage ride later, we arrived home with the waffle iron. According to the gentleman selling it, he used only coated the waffle iron in <a href="https://amzn.to/3tlPCtL" target="_blank">Buzzy Waxx</a>. We did some research and they do have an <a href="https://buzzywaxx.com/collections/discs-cans/products/buzzywaxx-green-1-can" target="_blank">organic option</a>, which I ordered to try. It seemed to work nicely on our older fajita pan but not so much on my older cast iron scone pan. The directions say so it 3 times and I only did it twice. I will try it again but it didn't wow me. Please also note, I have never felt successful at seasoning cast iron. "It's so easy" they say. "Just stick it in the over" I am told. Humbug, I have yet to have a perfect non-stick coating. Needless to say, I assumed I was just missing the magic touch.</p><p>Switching gears, I decided that the gentleman was more an expert than me so the waffle iron was probably fine and headed to YouTube to find me a "how to use a cast iron waffle iron without ruining it" video. I watched a few but one said she used coconut oil. I figured I couldn't mess that up so I seasoned the waffle iron by warming the iron a little and slathering it in organic coconut oil. I wiped off the excess and then baked it at 400 degrees for 1 hour. After the hour was complete, I left the cast iron in the oven to cool overnight. SUCCESS! I realize most people can do this but it actually worked! The results were absolutely amazing. I promptly did the scone pan and feel such a sense of accomplishment. Seriously, my friends would probably <a href="https://www.facebook.com/reel/894570008761288?fs=e&s=m" target="_blank">pretend not to know me</a>. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCwXY7NDSdlBCoD4RHweQCpVSSikljAQrEsQ3oS9kvTMV1IYoD09uSOs5SJmyzfPWUvBrsNyajNwQWe6psyvYnuy1hxhiugLUvOp_MYaFrNyeo-Sd2PHUf0b7UdJPTe2JcBHMG32dNcT_3dl94QlOwzj_CRykjKycpGvZqzExcIl23V560w87AttqP-3gl/s4032/PXL_20231008_151328537.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCwXY7NDSdlBCoD4RHweQCpVSSikljAQrEsQ3oS9kvTMV1IYoD09uSOs5SJmyzfPWUvBrsNyajNwQWe6psyvYnuy1hxhiugLUvOp_MYaFrNyeo-Sd2PHUf0b7UdJPTe2JcBHMG32dNcT_3dl94QlOwzj_CRykjKycpGvZqzExcIl23V560w87AttqP-3gl/s320/PXL_20231008_151328537.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><p>Anyway, a triple batch of waffles batter awaited me in the morning (a single batch weighs about 800 grams) and only a double batch fits in my <a href="https://amzn.to/3RMoT3T" target="_blank">KitchenAid Mixer</a>. So I mixed up one batch and cooked it, testing the waffle iron. I burned the first 3 waffles but then got it down.</p><p>The best advice I found was to make sure I heat both sides of the iron for 5 minutes before trying to cook. This thing must be hot before you add the batter so don't rush it.</p><p>What I learned was that whatever side you start on, you want to open it on that side too. Those first 2 waffles I opened before it was fully cooked and that caused some scraping out. Thankfully it didn't stick but got stuck because it pulled apart in the doughy part of the middle. On my large gas stove burner, after the waffle iron was hot, each side takes about 2 minutes. Here's how I did it:</p><p>Pour the batter. Set timer for 2 minutes.<br />Flip waffle maker, Set timer for 2 minutes.<br />Flip waffle maker. Open and remove waffle.<br />Repeat.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis_HDpYmPrGFQdHHOQDvTR9_KXakSa_H3hVVsEDoe3-ZNP8CRlv5hRWTDuOGRYaEtdTAAhs3YkvYPE5mcp2AFeyU0d_2Q5HSoJWJoQK2IM5l3vCj6Ix2yuWql79zzyiHvbTsKhgXa2bw-gh3ME4nQCFL5_dsFCHqnKZFzd97GfynR0Kjb8VyyIPbYj6MYA/s4032/PXL_20231008_151549114.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis_HDpYmPrGFQdHHOQDvTR9_KXakSa_H3hVVsEDoe3-ZNP8CRlv5hRWTDuOGRYaEtdTAAhs3YkvYPE5mcp2AFeyU0d_2Q5HSoJWJoQK2IM5l3vCj6Ix2yuWql79zzyiHvbTsKhgXa2bw-gh3ME4nQCFL5_dsFCHqnKZFzd97GfynR0Kjb8VyyIPbYj6MYA/s320/PXL_20231008_151549114.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><p></p><p>I made so many waffles and they came out so perfectly! I will admit, it takes a while. The waffle appliance takes about 1 cup of batter while this waffle iron takes about 1/2 cup of batter. Do the math - yep, twice as many waffles to make. Although the time per waffle was about the same. The conclusion is? I might need a second cast iron waffle maker. </p><p>Happy Fall.</p>The Messy Organic Mumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00836448856608266593noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180129611594275289.post-62427937453199303102023-09-24T23:55:00.003-04:002023-09-24T23:56:09.157-04:00Experimenting with Sourdough<p> Ah, good intentions. I had so many good intentions to write more this year but alas, it is already September (almost October if I don't finish this soon!). </p><p>September's project has been learning to cook with sourdough. I have always wanted to but have had many counter pets given to me by well-meaning friends. For some reason they had confidence in me and my ability to like their pet, enjoy their pet and keep it alive. Thankfully I am much better with real pets.</p><p>Last year, for my birthday, my awesome husband got me a <a href="https://amzn.to/3EORUUC" target="_blank">grain mill</a>! I had been wanting one for years. Alas it is still in the box! This summer I tried to grow some corn to grind but some animal stripped them from my garden before I even knew they were ready! Let me tell you, it has been a ridiculous experience and not especially fruitful.</p><p>Then my son decided he wanted to do a Chemistry class this year. We choose Chemistry in the Kitchen by Guest Hollow and I of course looked ahead and realized he would be learning to make a sourdough starter. As a person who cannot keep one alive, I will admit this terrified me a bit. Those who know me, know exactly where this is going... without a starter, I decided to take out about 20 books from the library on sourdough. Yes it really was at least 20 but I believe at the time I had less than 100 books checked out so it's all good.</p><p>Anyway, I quickly returned quite a few and kept four. One of the 20 had a recipe for making a starter from grapes. Guess what? My grapes actually grew this year! Thank you YHWH! The next day, I asked the kids to pick some for me as I recalled the recipe called for a quarter cup. They forgot and I got sidetracked. Two days later, I had my quarter cup of homegrown grapes... but I couldn't find which book had the recipe. </p><p>The grapes sat on the counter for 24 hours.</p><p>Finally, I found a different recipe in a different <a href="https://amzn.to/45773eX">cookbook</a> but it called for more grapes than a quarter cup. Actually, it called for grapes or raisins. Ahh! I thought, I have raisins. I bought a 20 lbs. box of organic raisins that I have barely touched in months.</p><p>Hooray! So I whipped up the yeast water late at night. (You know, after the kids are in bed and you should also be in bed but you aren't ready and then bam it is midnight and you still are sitting on the couch because you are too tired to do anything... no, that's just me? Okay then.)</p><p>Much to my amazement, it worked!!!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo9T6mwEnXTkyijJhG-FdDT77TdQUzV5vLGrrPLM6zjiqvMKfpfQsjya_9UjbxVwYQMd2Mc6vIlJURrmfEE3TlUm4MV8Rvk2owId84IiPyvcP_aPhXL_Dw-CluZQnsTpXlq0iIUty2-ghRz-xbL_Lu2BoSi7JLv1LnOhB3EF3ws_QIBE3X9ynkpVY78Rx4/s1600/PXL_20230910_190033203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo9T6mwEnXTkyijJhG-FdDT77TdQUzV5vLGrrPLM6zjiqvMKfpfQsjya_9UjbxVwYQMd2Mc6vIlJURrmfEE3TlUm4MV8Rvk2owId84IiPyvcP_aPhXL_Dw-CluZQnsTpXlq0iIUty2-ghRz-xbL_Lu2BoSi7JLv1LnOhB3EF3ws_QIBE3X9ynkpVY78Rx4/s320/PXL_20230910_190033203.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>I was so encouraged, I actually kept going! I used the yeast water to start the sourdough starter.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb3niSOk2UB4kluF9pYDRrx98IIDXAYdZDW5PI1HY1nt8f5_T8dkb4pYHRQ4efMPlZ4goACBkhU9C5HIDJIUeo18EGALxmLlkdoGhrUMUXLidHcZrVrRw4BtADlSRbQi6v0px2cucyTGqPB9IF8y9Rj-OybbhrtAFyfbZiIb4lBKJNb0oF1gr440JOw58I/s1600/PXL_20230910_190113476.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb3niSOk2UB4kluF9pYDRrx98IIDXAYdZDW5PI1HY1nt8f5_T8dkb4pYHRQ4efMPlZ4goACBkhU9C5HIDJIUeo18EGALxmLlkdoGhrUMUXLidHcZrVrRw4BtADlSRbQi6v0px2cucyTGqPB9IF8y9Rj-OybbhrtAFyfbZiIb4lBKJNb0oF1gr440JOw58I/s320/PXL_20230910_190113476.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>It worked! I now had my own counter pet made from the yeast in my field! I am still totally blown away that I did this.<div><br /></div><div>Now what to do with it? My first recipe was crackers with the discard, which I will share another time as they weren't impressive but edible. Next was waffles. Those were absolutely delicious and to be share another time but as you can see from the photo, I started the yeast water almost a month ago and my sourdough starter is still alive. In fact, I promised the kids waffles in the morning.<br /><p><br /></p></div>The Messy Organic Mumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00836448856608266593noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180129611594275289.post-39927362185424684922023-01-15T22:12:00.001-05:002023-09-10T19:15:40.925-04:00A Time<div style="text-align: center;"><i>"<span class="chapter-1"><span class="text Eccl-3-1">For everything there is a season</span></span></i><i><span class="text Eccl-3-1"> </span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="text Eccl-3-1">and a time for every activity under heaven:</span><span class="text Eccl-3-2" id="en-TLV-20058"><sup class="versenum"> </sup></span></i><i><span class="text Eccl-3-2" id="en-TLV-20058"> </span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="text Eccl-3-2" id="en-TLV-20058">a time to give birth and a time to die,</span></i><i><span class="text Eccl-3-2"> </span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="text Eccl-3-2">a time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted;</span></i><i><span class="text Eccl-3-3" id="en-TLV-20059"> </span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="text Eccl-3-3" id="en-TLV-20059">a time to kill and a time to heal,</span></i><i><span class="text Eccl-3-3"> </span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="text Eccl-3-3">a time to tear down and a time to build up;</span></i><i><span class="text Eccl-3-4" id="en-TLV-20060"> </span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="text Eccl-3-4" id="en-TLV-20060">a time to weep and a time to laugh,</span></i><i><span class="text Eccl-3-4"> </span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="text Eccl-3-4">a time to mourn and a time to dance;</span></i><i><span class="text Eccl-3-5" id="en-TLV-20061"> </span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="text Eccl-3-5" id="en-TLV-20061">a time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones,</span></i><i><span class="text Eccl-3-5"> </span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="text Eccl-3-5">a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing;</span></i><i><span class="text Eccl-3-6" id="en-TLV-20062"> </span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="text Eccl-3-6" id="en-TLV-20062">a time to seek and a time to lose,</span></i><i><span class="text Eccl-3-6"> </span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="text Eccl-3-6">a time to keep and a time to discard;</span></i><i><span class="text Eccl-3-7" id="en-TLV-20063"> </span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="text Eccl-3-7" id="en-TLV-20063">a time to tear apart and a time to mend,</span></i><i><span class="text Eccl-3-7"> </span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="text Eccl-3-7">a time to be silent and a time to speak;</span></i><i><span class="text Eccl-3-8" id="en-TLV-20064"> </span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="text Eccl-3-8" id="en-TLV-20064">a time to love and a time to hate,</span></i><i><span class="text Eccl-3-8"> </span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="text Eccl-3-8">a time for war and a time for peace. </span></i> </div><div style="text-align: center;">Ecclesiastes3:1-8</div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">Many have started the new year with resolutions and goals. In the past, as I hang the new calendar on the wall, I also try to look ahead to what I can change. As I grow older and hopefully wiser, I am beginning to realize that a new calendar year is not really the new start that is always advertised. Here it is cold and dark and while the idea of seed catalogs can cheer up a few moments, those are fleeting. This time of year is, perhaps the worst time for me to try something new. Instead it is a time to snuggle in, a time for soups, a time for reading, dreaming and serious contemplation. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">I have gotten away from writing, although I visit my own blog often for some of my favorite recipes. Writing was not part of the last few seasons. I am hoping it will be part of the upcoming seasons but only God knows what it truly part of the wild journey I am on. It is strange what brings us back, full circle but not the same. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> <br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Initially, this blog was a place for our organic travels but slowly that lifestyle, while essential to our lives, no longer rules every waking moment. Organic is how we roll. The homestead is more consuming, no longer just a small garden, it is a lifestyle. The cow must get milked, cheese must be made, the eggs must be collected, something always must be processed. It is no longer me who is running this homestead; it is a family homestead with our oldest currently feeding and tending the cows, our second cooking and eating and spoiling the rest of us with his creations, our third and fourth caring for the chickens. They all have their pet chickens, their farm chores, their own delights, often even their own gardens. Sometimes they are working alongside us and each other, sometimes they are toiling on their own, working hard on a personal project or doing something for the family. But oh! these cold dark days. Morale runs low and tempers get short, water bins and hoses freeze, and eggs are in short supply. And yet, each trial leaves us learning and growing. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">There have been many changes which I hope to share over the coming days, weeks and months. We have gone from a small family on a homestead with a few chickens to a bigger family with livestock. We are learning about natural medicine to compliment my formal training. I am experimenting in cheese, gardening, herbs, and animal husbandry. And yet, some things stay the same: more books that I can ever read, dishes to wash, laundry to do, lessons to learn and a meal to be made. </div><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><div style="text-align: left;">If someone had told me years ago, this is where I would be, I might have laughed. And now, as we start this new year, I pray that it will be a year of laughter.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Happy New Year.<br /></div>The Messy Organic Mumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00836448856608266593noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180129611594275289.post-35889144823527728662021-03-14T22:02:00.000-04:002021-03-14T22:02:08.569-04:00Taste of Travel - Spain: The appetizer<p>Our amazing local librarian received a grant to run Taste of Travel, a little group free to anyone who signed up. Everyone was to receive a special spice or spice blend for each country and a cookbook, <a href="https://amzn.to/3eAQ7GT" target="_blank">Taste The World</a>. You all know how I feel about cooking and books, right? Despite currently taking a six week intensive Charlotte Mason Bootcamp that has 6 days of homework and participating in two different Bible Studies, I couldn't not do participate. Who said life was slower when you can't go anywhere? At least I don't have to milk until Cocoa gives birth in April!</p><p>The group meets via Zoom every two weeks and talk about the books, movies and recipes prepared. Two weeks isn't very long to read a book or try lots of recipes but it does keep me stay on task! Researcher that I am, I promptly requested at least three different cookbooks from the library, along with numerous memoirs (primarily about the Camino de Santiago), and <a href="https://amzn.to/3rZO03z">The Way</a> DVD.</p><p>I started four books and am hoping to finish at least one by this Wednesday when the group meets: <a href="https://amzn.to/2OuCwGB">It's Not About the Tapas</a>, <a href="https://amzn.to/3cvWsAT">Homage to Catalonia</a>, <a href="https://amzn.to/3bLZnX5">Ordinary Magic</a> (audio via Scribd) and <a href="https://amzn.to/3bQzsxz">The Pilgrimage</a>. I am most of the way through <a href="https://amzn.to/2OuCwGB">It's Not About the Tapas</a>, although not necessarily because it is the best. I am looking forward to finishing all of them because on Thursday I will need to move on to Japan.</p><p>After starting the books, the movie came in and (if you know me at all), you know I couldn't wait. Hoping it would have beautiful panoramic scenes, watching it on the laptop made me cringe. Thankfully, I am blessed to have friends who don't mind me inviting myself over. And oh, am I so glad that large flat screens exist even if we don't own one. The only drawback is I realized that I might be getting old and sentimental. Feel free to reassure me that I am not the only who laughed and cried many times during <a href="https://amzn.to/3rZO03z">The Way</a>. The end left me feeling grateful, contemplative and deep wanderlust. It is not a movie I will probably watch again and yet I know that it is the kind of movie that will stay with me for a long time.</p><p>After watching one of the characters try many different foods and countless glasses of wine, I was ready to start cooking. I decided to use Sunday as our feast day so the night before, Little E and I made made our steak marinade and Spanish Toasted Almonds from <a href="https://amzn.to/3lf8Fhc" target="_blank">The Latin Road Home by Jose Garces</a>. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-b7VGClnFlzM/YE6TzFEeD8I/AAAAAAAAFNc/ExOZsSQpnR80Oz9GbOhlG-TY7BQQ4PQpgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_20210313_191934948_PORTRAIT.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-b7VGClnFlzM/YE6TzFEeD8I/AAAAAAAAFNc/ExOZsSQpnR80Oz9GbOhlG-TY7BQQ4PQpgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/IMG_20210313_191934948_PORTRAIT.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div>He melted the 4 TB of butter in a our skillet until it stopped bubbling (this apparently removes any water from the butter. Who knew?) before tossing his 2 cups of raw, unpasteurized Spanish almonds in. <div><br /></div><div>Little E stirred the almonds until they made the kitchen smell amazing and the butter turned brown. Then together we dumped the almonds onto a lined baking sheet (paper towels or a cloth) and sprinkled with salt. </div><div><br /></div><div>It was hard but we let them mostly cool before demolishing them. Thankfully, I have been spending extra time when our <a href="COOKWME-XF5WPS">Misfit Market</a> produce box and cutting up the veggies all at once allowing me to be able to throw together a quick meal of toasted almonds, fruit and veggies with homemade soft cheese. The only thing missing was fresh crusty bread with <a href="https://amzn.to/3eF5fmS" target="_blank">balsamic vinegar</a> to dip in, although that might be too French.</div><div><br /></div><div>Next time, I think we will try them sprinkled with everything bagel seasoning. Supposedly the almonds will last for a while at room temperature. I doubt we will try it as they taste awfully good fresh. Or the following morning with my morning coffee. The rising sun, a cup in my hands, Spanish almonds and a few minutes dreaming of the Camino was a pretty good way to start the day.</div>The Messy Organic Mumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00836448856608266593noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180129611594275289.post-52961963230670312112019-03-22T08:27:00.000-04:002019-03-22T08:27:39.698-04:00Chinese New Year and CookiesYes, I realize Chinese New Year has passed a while ago this year. Every year I want to celebrate with the kids because it comes at a perfect time for our family. Our family holiday begins in November with a birthday and then Thanksgiving and continues on with more birthdays, Christmas and the twelve days of Christmas, New Year and another birthday at the end of January. And then like a sneaky child, Chinese New Year arrives and I am left wishing I had more time and energy to make it the fun celebration it could be. The making of a tradition for our family. Except we aren't Chinese. And I never celebrated in school or growing up so I am always left wishing and wondering if I missed an opportunity.<br />
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This year I realized something though, Chinese New Year really is the perfect start of our new year as a family. Before that, we are still in holiday mode. Extra plans and fun before Chinese New Year are futile. So I decided to stop making myself crazy trying to start our new year on January 1st. No longer will I try to have my goals planned out by January 1st. No longer will I feel like if we don't have the house clean and ready for the new year on January 1st we are some how not doing it "right." Starting this year, I didn't start thinking about my new year goals until Chinese New Year. Because January 1st is just as arbitrary as Feb 5 or July 19th. We start our school year on August 15th because the local district has us end our school year on June 30th. Are these not just dates picked? At one time the school year ended at planting time but no longer. So this year, I have given myself permission to start our year on another day and another time. It is a little freeing. Try it. Decide to start something today, just because. Maybe a week without sugar or a weekend of saying yes to making time for yourself. <br />
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In January, as I talked myself into accepting a new year starting on a different day, I knew that it was also my excuse to celebrate Chinese New Year with the kids. So this year we decided to study China for the month of February. I didn't require us to do everything at specific times and days and we probably did it all wrong but we had a great time doing it. We listened to stories, read books, made crafts and of course decided to cook! We also got some great postcards from China and enjoyed a monthly letter from Isabelle from China. (<a href="https://lettersafar.com/">Letters from Afar)</a> <br />
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Now even before our study of China began we have been enjoying exchanging postcards with other people all over the world through <a href="https://www.postcrossing.com/">Postcrossing</a>. In the month of January, we got an interesting recipe postcard from Singapore. We made sure to check out different Chinese sweets as well but we kept coming back to this recipe. It hung in the kitchen taunting us. No, it wasn't from China but they sounded tasty and I am usually pretty easily talked into making cookies.<br />
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<b>Singapore Christmas Surprise Cookies</b><br />
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80 g. organic old-fashioned oats<br />
1 large organic egg <br />
50 g. organic cranberries (we use <a href="https://amzn.to/2U0t52p">Eden Brand</a>)<br />
50 g. organic pistachios<br />
2/3 c. maple syrup<br />
90 g. organic butter, melted<br />
150 g. organic all-purpose flour <br />
1/4 tsp. baking soda<br />
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1. Preheat oven to 325.<br />
2. Grease a baking sheet with butter.<br />
3. Whisk butter and maple syrup.<br />
4. Whisk in egg.<br />
5. Stir in the flour, baking soda and oats.<br />
6. Mix in cranberries and nuts.<br />
7. Drop tablespoons of batter onto baking sheet. Decorate with more cranberries and nuts if desired.<br />
8. Bake for 12-16 minutes until puffy and lightly golden.<br />
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These cookies were pretty good. I think I liked them more than the kids. They are more of a tea cookie than a sweet dessert cookie. It may sounds odd but it reminded me of the kind of cookie grandmothers would have and serve with an afternoon tea, a little English and a little proper. While they are on the drier side, they weren't so dry you couldn't just eat and enjoy them. Give them a try and let me know what you think and Happy New Year!<br />
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Note: I use a <a href="https://amzn.to/2U7Hrhi">food scale</a> for a lot of my recipes. Since this was offered to me using grams, I just changed my scale to accommodate using grams instead of ounces.I didn't convert it but I will next time.The Messy Organic Mumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00836448856608266593noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180129611594275289.post-67096645011635620282019-01-01T22:06:00.000-05:002019-01-01T22:06:03.797-05:00Happy 2019<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Happy New Year!</span></b></div>
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These past many months have been very full for me but I have been missing everyone terribly. So mu first goal for the year is to start writing again. So many wonderful changes have happened on the homestead and I look forward to sharing the, in the upcoming weeks.</div>
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I am also excited to get back to cooking new recipes. These last almost 20 months I have been shying away from new recipes and concentrating on eating fresh and not wasting. That has been great but sometimes new recipes need to be added or we get into a rut. I tried a new recipe tonight and the push back I got from the kids reminded me that staying with our favorites can also limit us. Granted the recipe wasn't blow your socks off great, it certainly was edible! It was mashed butternut squash with garlic, onions, bacon, brie and spinach. I know it sounds weird but it was ok. The bacon wrapped venison was much better, as was the homemade bread. I digress.</div>
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As we begin the fresh new year, I hope to get back into the writing and reading. Happy 2019!</div>
The Messy Organic Mumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00836448856608266593noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180129611594275289.post-9788303251308157182017-03-06T17:01:00.000-05:002017-03-06T17:01:23.250-05:00 Chocolate & Toasted Coconut Maple Muffins<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5Q6G51RA188/WL3QJPtsCnI/AAAAAAAACWs/X4yWL0HuickqTtAuWDcQc8dNVCWHVi_cgCLcB/s1600/P1050010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5Q6G51RA188/WL3QJPtsCnI/AAAAAAAACWs/X4yWL0HuickqTtAuWDcQc8dNVCWHVi_cgCLcB/s320/P1050010.JPG" width="320" /></a>I know February is short but goodness it flew by. We had a nice stretch of warm weather and the sap was flowing. The days were beautiful. I planted some small garlic bulbs from the scapes that I didn't get around to planting last fall. It even got so warm that we were able to get back into the three remaining bee colonies and make sure they were alive and give them some food in case they need it. Needless to say, the days all ran together. The one consistent thing? Muffins.<br />
<a name='more'></a>In truth, these should probably be called February Muffins because I made them almost every day. They were that delicious that even the kids didn't get sick of them yet.<br />
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<b>Chocolate & Toasted Coconut Maple Muffins</b><br />
1/2 c. dark maple syrup<br />
1/2 c. organic oil (coconut oil is delicious but so is canola)<br />
3/4 c. organic whole milk<br />
2 organic eggs<br />
2 c. organic flour, divided<br />
1 TBSP. baking powder<br />
1/2 tsp. salt<br />
additions:<br />
organic dark chocolate*<br />
1/2-3/4 c. toasted coconut*,**<br />
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1. Preheat oven to 400°.<br />
2. Mix wet ingredients in a large bowl.<br />
3. Mix 1.5 c. flour, baking powder and salt.<br />
4. Mix remaining 1/2 c. flour with coconut and chocolate chips.<br />
5. Mix wet and dry ingredients using a <a href="http://amzn.to/2mcA0SU" target="_blank">dough whisk</a>***, until just moist.<br />
6. Add remaining flour and additions and mix with <a href="http://amzn.to/2mcA0SU" target="_blank">dough whisk</a> until combined. Do not over mix.<br />
7. Pour into muffin pan.<br />
8. Bake for 15-20 minutes until set.<br />
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Enjoy!<br />
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* You can use other additions such as banana and walnut - add smashed banana to wet ingredients, walnuts to the second bowl.<br />
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** Toasted coconut will make any of your recipes more amazing. To toast coconut, put unsweetened coconut into a pan over medium heat. stir occasionally until toasted evenly 3-5 minutes depending on heat.<br />
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*** Do you have a <a href="http://amzn.to/2mcA0SU" target="_blank">dough whisk</a>? If you don't, you are seriously missing out. My husband got me one for Christmas (or my birthday) it is one of my most favorite kitchen tools. It is super easy to use and I am constantly using it. Anything that says to be careful not to over mix gets the <a href="http://amzn.to/2mcA0SU" target="_blank">dough whisk</a>! Waffles, pancakes, muffins, cake, you name it and I try it. I even made biscuits with it and they came out so much more fluffy.<br />
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<b>February Update:</b><br />
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February was very unproductive in terms of goals. I didn't finish any new books, or do anything on the homestead (granted, it is winter!). I was very good about making sure that we didn't waste anything. Also, we are eating a lot more of our leftovers as well as eating more beans. Our favorite way the eat beans, besides as maple baked beans, is to use only a little (or no) meat with organic black beans and taco seasoning. Add that to some cheese and salsa on an organic corn tortilla and you have an easy, nutritious meal.<br />
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I did manage to keep our grocery budget at or under $250. This was pretty awesome. I have come to realize that this may not be as sustainable as I had hoped. As I am rereading <a href="http://amzn.to/2mfkPd0" target="_blank">Notes From a Blue Bike</a>, I am again reminded that cheap food has a price and although we work hard to grow, raise or buy only good food, preferably from local sources, the amount of money we spend is such a small amount. As Americans we spend such a small percent of our income on food. I would rather spend more money on good food so that farmers get paid better than scrimp and save. Now, we are also following Dave Ramsey's plan from <a href="http://amzn.to/2muBrOE" target="_blank">The Total Money Makeover</a> to get rid of all debt so I while I am trying to save money to finish paying off those student loans and whatnot, I also want to make sure that I am making intentional choices about what I am buying.<br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Grocery Budget: $250</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2/1 Milk $ 25.00</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2/5 Distributor: Org. Beans $ 30.35</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2/5 Org. 1/2+1/2, Org. Mustard $ 7.28</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2/5 Milk (prepay for the month) $ 100.00</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2/5 BJs: cheese, org. apples& org. carrots $ 22.27</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2/7 Aldi's: Org. Bananas, crackers $ 7.83</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2/14 Polish Shop: Imported Cheese </span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> $ 9.19</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2/19 BJs: yeast $ 4.49</span><br />
<u><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2/22 BJs: org. corn chips, cheese, org. butter, org. lettuce $ 41.73</span></u><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Total Spent: $ 248.14</span></div>
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So we stayed under budget which was nice. On the last day of the month, I took out $350 from savings for our CSA share. Since it is for the summer months, I am planning to spread to cost out over those months as much as possible. If in the end we are over our $3000 year goal for groceries, I am ok with that as long as we continue to make intentional choices. The reason I did it this month is that the farmer was offering $25 off if paid by 2/28. I figured this was a good intentional place to save money. They needed the money sooner rather than later and since I was planning on buying anyway, it would work out best on all accounts if we saved a little and paid earlier.<br />
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As for our No Spend, I think we are right on track. I did splurge this month and get a Starbucks coffee but I used a gift card so I don't think that counts. It made me really appreciate it going. Afterwards we went to the park and the kids got to run and I got to enjoy a coffee and my sister's company.<br />
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Decluttering has also been going well. Every week I have been to the consignment shop or posting something on our local <a href="https://buynothingproject.org/" target="_blank">Buy Nothing</a> group.<br />
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So all in all, it was a good month but not as productive, especially on the reading side, as I would have liked.<br />
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How was your month?<br />
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The Messy Organic Mumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00836448856608266593noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180129611594275289.post-24832986981374275542017-02-21T19:43:00.001-05:002017-02-21T19:43:52.460-05:00Chocolate Maple Pudding and Goals<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Uvc1de7V5d8/WHR3GwN79pI/AAAAAAAACRo/Vj7u7x8sXS84iDbw_oVj20lVzOXDVGAYQCLcB/s1600/P1040960.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Uvc1de7V5d8/WHR3GwN79pI/AAAAAAAACRo/Vj7u7x8sXS84iDbw_oVj20lVzOXDVGAYQCLcB/s320/P1040960.JPG" width="320" /></span></a><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Oh February, how you tease me with your warm weather. The days are getting lighter and warmer but that cold dampness is still in the air. Sap season has started so spring is on it's way and just like every winter, I have big dreams for being outdoors and the garden.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For the holiday of love, we decided to indulge in some dark, delicious chocolate pudding. Yum!</span><br />
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<a name='more'></a><b><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Chocolate Pudding</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 c. maple syrup</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/2 cup <a href="http://amzn.to/2l5M9aN" target="_blank">organic cocoa</a> (skip if you want vanilla pudding, you can also whisk in pureed banana)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1/4 c. plus 1 TBSP organic <a href="http://amzn.to/2l5rVxQ" target="_blank">cornstarch</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1 tsp salt</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4 c. organic whole milk</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2 Tbsp organic unsalted butter (if using salted, reduce salt above to 1/2 tsp.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2 tsp <a href="http://amzn.to/2m5IldU" target="_blank">organic vanilla extract</a> (optional)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1. Whisk maple syrup and cornstarch in a sauce pan big enough to hold all ingredients.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2. Whisk in cocoa and salt.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3. Whisk and gradually add milk.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4. Heat mixture, stirring so it doesn't burn until boiling.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">5. Boil and stir for 2-5 minutes, until thickened. </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">6. Remove from heat. </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">7. Whisk in butter and vanilla extract. </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">8. Chill 2-6 hours until cold.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">9. Serve and enjoy!</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I absolutely love this pudding. I was never really a pudding girl but this dark chocolate pudding satisfies my chocolate cravings. L1 thinks it is too chocolatey (Is that possible?) so if you like a litter flavor, you can reduce the cocoa to 1/4 c. We have also added unsweetened toasted coconut because I love coconut. Add the toasted coconut to a chocolate crust and it is heaven.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Enjoy!</span></span></div>
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The Messy Organic Mumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00836448856608266593noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180129611594275289.post-3786937282453704172017-02-12T21:00:00.001-05:002017-02-15T07:40:15.219-05:00Hello February 2017<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ek-S8gj9yjQ/WJ81oPMvyiI/AAAAAAAACVo/-HbYke8aZsgnarZgEGv_zY97I0aTihZOQCPcB/s1600/P1040961.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ek-S8gj9yjQ/WJ81oPMvyiI/AAAAAAAACVo/-HbYke8aZsgnarZgEGv_zY97I0aTihZOQCPcB/s320/P1040961.jpg" width="320" /></a>So let's just let a snowy wind blow away my missing week or two. Have you seen the snow outside? My goodness it is almost 2 feet deep! The chickens are not impressed. The children on the other hand are thrilled.<br />
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I am thrilled to say that I did in fact keep our grocery budget as well as every other budget we set. So this post is going to be a purely a goal update but I promise to get back to delicious recipes very soon.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>Let's start with <b>The Grocery Budget.</b><br />
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Now, I have had people ask about it and let me make one thing very clear: we buy absolutely no meat. We raise pigs and chickens and hunt deer to provide meat on the table. Now, having said that, please also note that the cost of those things, including the cost of eggs, another thing we do not buy, comes out of a different budget we set up for our animals. Some may argue that the two overlap and it is true, they do. If we had to spend the $3-$3.50/lb that it costs us to raise our pork, our grocery budget might be higher. Ditto for the eggs. We budget about $150 per month for all our animals, including our pets, which is an extra $1800 a year. Now, we also typically spend $125 per month on raw organic milk, which is something I have NEVER heard anyone else say. That's $1500 per year in milk. Since most people go through about 1-2 gallons of milk per week, a savings of at least $900 per year, most people could easily use the same amount to buy meat with. Every household is different. Before we started raising pigs or chickens, we kept our grocery bill, buying organic, to about $150/month with 2 adults and a baby, then 2 babies. At that time we bought eggs and meat but we only ate meat a couple of times a week and I stretched it. So I am willing to wager that most 4 person families could get away with this grocery budget or one under even $350 per month if they wanted to. Don't believe me? Check out http://www.onehundreddollarsamonth.com/ She feed her family of 4 on $100 per month for a long time. She recently changed it to $250 and she buys meat. So it can be done. Try it for one month and leave a comment telling me what did or didn't work.<br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Okay, back to the final tally. Here's what I spent:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">1/1 Starting total $250.00</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">1/9 Distributor: imported Cheese -$ 35.91</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> my sister bought 1 lb +$ 3.00</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">1/3 Store: org. Cashews -$ 20.41</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">1/11 Store: Org. Fruit -$ 13.71</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">1/11 Store: Org. Food Pantry Box -$ 10.00</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">1/12 Farm: Org. Raw Milk -$ 60.00 (prepay 12 gallons)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">1/15 Store: Org. Fruit -$ 5.79</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">1/15 Amazon: Org. Coffee -$ 10.04</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">1/15 Amazon: Org. Pretzels -$ 30.50</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">1/23 Distributor: Org. Flour -$ 20.90</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">1/26 Farm: Org. Raw Milk -$ 25.00</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">1/26 Store: Ramen Noodles* -$ 2.00</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">1/28 Store: Org. Cheese, Org. Butter** -$ 2.97</span><br />
<u><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">1/30 Distributor: imported Cheese -$ 12.58</span></u><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Total spent: $246.81</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Total left: $3.19</span><br />
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*<a href="http://amzn.to/2kY0aZ3" target="_blank">Ramen Noodles</a>: No these are not organic but my husband wanted them for lunch verse a sandwich so for $2 (on sale!), is it really worth fighting over not eating something better for him? The short answer is no. The week was cold, he wanted a hot lunch.<br />
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**Org. Cheese, Org. Butter, Org. Celery: I bought these at BJ's Wholesale. Since we frequent there, we have a membership that gives us 2% back so I had a free $20 coming to me. So while the total was $22.97, it only cost me $2.97 cash from my grocery envelope. Score!<br />
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So there you have it. January's Grocery Budget, under $250, just as I had hoped. We spent less on milk this month because I traded some of my Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate mix around Christmas time that paid for two pails ($50) during this month. Next month I will have to be a little more careful.<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #9d9173; font-family: "verdana" , "geneva" , sans-serif; font-size: 15.4px;"><b>Homestead Goal: Waste less</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #9d9173; font-family: "verdana" , "geneva" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15.4px;">In January as well as February so far, I have been trying to be really careful about not wasting food. Thankfully anything we don't eat does go to the chickens but still. I have been working extra to make sure that we 1. eat leftovers or 2. not make any more than enough for one main meal and a second the next day i.e. lunch for either my husband or lunch for the kids and I, usually with a sandwich.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #9d9173; font-family: "verdana" , "geneva" , sans-serif; font-size: 15.4px;"><b>4 month No Spend</b></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #9d9173; font-family: "verdana" , "geneva" , sans-serif; font-size: 15.4px;">This has been relatively easy since that first week. I am have been very intentional when I go somewhere. I did buy a school book (<u><a href="http://amzn.to/2l9npBj" target="_blank">Addition Fact that Stick</a></u>) after a lot of debate (2 weeks!) but I have a small, separate amount for things like that. I don't regret the purchase but having gone so long without buying stuff, it was actually really hard to click the Buy button.</span><br />
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<b style="background-color: white; color: #9d9173; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 15.4px;">50 Books</b><br />
These past few weeks have been pretty great on the reading front. I finished Dave Ramsey's <a href="http://amzn.to/2l9sHwA" target="_blank">Total Money Makeover</a> and am still listening to the podcast almost daily. On a personal level, I have realized that I really need to have at least half an hour in the afternoon to clean up the kitchen and prep for dinner. This has made a world of difference for me. I hate the rushing at dinner time. It never used to bother me but now that time is a magnet for the kids to sudden decide "I need your undivided attention NOW!" and it has been a little overwhelming. So during afternoon naps/quiet time, I have been turning on the show and clearing counters, washing dishes, doing any prep that needs to be done, etc. It has become this down time that I had no idea that I needed.<br />
<br />
I also reread <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1416551611/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=themesorgmum-20&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=1416551611&linkId=dceb34d54f2d995cc523cd399e56531b" target="_blank">The Dirty Life</a> for my book club. I loved it even more than when I read it <a href="http://www.themessyorganicmum.com/2013/03/the-dirty-life.html" target="_blank">the first time</a>. Should this book ever become available on <a href="http://paperbackswap.com/">PaperBackSwap</a>, I will happily add it to my collection. It is just as inspiring for me now as it was then. We humans really can learn anything if we want it enough. Next month we are reading <a href="http://amzn.to/2kJ02xV" target="_blank">Wild.</a><br />
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On the rereading note, I have started rereading <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1400205573/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=themesorgmum-20&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=1400205573&linkId=68efb9885996ddcee7b94bd5c4f1bcbf" target="_blank">Notes from a Blue Bike</a>. I <a href="http://www.themessyorganicmum.com/2015/03/notes-from-blue-bike.html" target="_blank">read this book</a> almost two years ago while I was pregnant with E2. It always surprises me what new things I pick up when I read things for the second time. <a href="http://www.themessyorganicmum.com/2016/02/on-bookshelf-feb-2016.html" target="_blank">Last year</a> I also read <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0062382462/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=themesorgmum-20&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=0062382462&linkId=2a980f65e5d31584461678b65801b438" target="_blank">Unprocessed</a> and <a href="http://amzn.to/2kY1MSt" target="_blank">More Than Happy</a> and would really like to add them to my list again this year should I get the chance.<br />
<ol style="background-color: white; color: #9d9173; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 15.4px;">
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><a href="http://amzn.to/2j7QSah" style="color: #80ae0d; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">The Recipe Club</a></li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><a href="http://amzn.to/2l9sHwA" style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium;" target="_blank">Total Money Makeover</a><span style="color: black; font-family: "times"; font-size: small;"> </span></li>
<li style="margin: 0px 0px 0.25em; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "times"; font-size: small;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1416551611/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=themesorgmum-20&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=1416551611&linkId=dceb34d54f2d995cc523cd399e56531b" target="_blank">The Dirty Life</a></span></li>
</ol>
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<span style="color: #9d9173; font-family: "verdana" , "geneva" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 15.4px;">Finally, we have <b>Decluttering:</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #9d9173; font-family: "verdana" , "geneva" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 15.4px;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #9d9173; font-family: "verdana" , "geneva" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 15.4px;">I have been going through the kid's clothes and magazines and slowly trying to clean out whatever extra items we have. I am thinking about cleaning out the kitchen again this year but first my clothes, just like the book <a href="http://amzn.to/2kXWc2v" target="_blank">The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up</a> recommends. I did a <a href="http://www.themessyorganicmum.com/2015/11/kitchen-things-i-love.html" target="_blank">kitchen purge</a> last year as well as a clothing one. Now that I have stopped changing sizes, it is probably time to do it again.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #9d9173; font-family: "verdana" , "geneva" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 15.4px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #9d9173; font-family: "verdana" , "geneva" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 15.4px;">How are your new year goals coming along?</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #9d9173; font-family: "verdana" , "geneva" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">This article was shared on <a href="http://www.homesteadingongrace.com/2017/02/homestead-blog-hop-122.html#more" target="_blank">Homesteading on Grace</a></span></span></div>
The Messy Organic Mumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00836448856608266593noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180129611594275289.post-48973059287454009652017-01-23T22:29:00.004-05:002017-02-15T07:40:38.060-05:00Sausage, Beans and Goals<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8ycUgzwBuiA/WIbAdx6UScI/AAAAAAAACTg/lCNqhawz2XAmIUKgzDY4tPy3-NHDHo-xgCLcB/s1600/_MG_7515.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8ycUgzwBuiA/WIbAdx6UScI/AAAAAAAACTg/lCNqhawz2XAmIUKgzDY4tPy3-NHDHo-xgCLcB/s320/_MG_7515.jpg" width="239" /></a>Sorry I missed you last week. I got knocked down by a terrible head cold. When I finally started to feel human around Thursday, it was just in time to cook and clean for L2's birthday. So now that I am feeling better, I am playing a bit of catch up. Thankfully the weather has been lovely so the kids haven't been under foot while I do laundry and dishes. The quiet house has given me some unexpected and welcome time to enjoy The Dave Ramsey show with minimal interruptions.<br />
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If you have never listened to his show, or read any of his books (I am currently reading <a href="http://amzn.to/2j7DEdv" target="_blank">The Total Money Makeover</a>), his show is definitely inspirational. It has been inspiring me to continue working our budget without coming up with creative ways to cheat or talk myself out of it. For now though, I have been sticking to all our goals.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a>So, let's start with<b> Dried Beans</b>:<br />
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I still haven't calculated how much I will need to plant in order to supply our family with enough beans to last us a year but I have been cooking more with the dried beans I have in the pantry to help me gauge how much our family likes beans. I made a large batch of black beans and garbanzo beans in the <a href="http://amzn.to/2jxcC45" target="_blank">pressure cooker</a>. We have had black bean tacos and chips and beans, chicken soup with chickpeas and Indian chicken curry (leftover chicken from making a whole chicken) with chickpeas. I also made a ridiculously easy <a href="http://amzn.to/2jxcC45" target="_blank">slow cooker</a> recipe:<br />
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<b>Sausage and Beans in the Slow Cooker</b><br />
1 lb ground organic sausage (I used Italian venison)<br />
1 lb dried organic beans, soaked overnight, then pressure cooked for 10-15 minutes, still slightly firm*<br />
1 quart jar of canned organic green beans<br />
<br />
1. Brown meat (I browned mine directly in the <a href="http://amzn.to/2jxcC45" target="_blank">pressure cooker</a>).<br />
2. Add juice from the green beans and beans.<br />
3. Use Slow Cooker option for 3-4 hours.<br />
4. 30 minutes before you are ready to eat, add green beans.<br />
5. Serve with fresh bread.<br />
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It was delicious. I used King of the Early beans and saved a handful to plant in the spring. I was so impressed by these beans. Not only did I over pressure cook them but then, after sitting in the slow cooker for 3 hours, they still held their shape and had a wonderful texture. I know, that was so simple, right? Another great recipe from my great friend Kendra. She used potatoes instead of beans. I have made it both ways and love the potatoes but I never have them on hand so beans made the cut.<br />
*You could use 2-3 cans of beans instead of dried.<br />
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Moving on, <b>Bees</b>:<br />
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The warm weather this past weekend provided an unexpected opportunity to check on our hives. A couple of weeks ago, we had a warm day and one of the hives wasn't very active. We talked to our local mentor and he suggested that since it was still relatively cool, that perhaps the bees were merely staying clustered. This weekend, while he was here for L2's birthday, it was sunny and warm so we decided to head out and take a look. SPOILER ALERT: I will be doing a separate post this this month but I am deeply saddened to say that one of our hives died from starvation due primarily to having too small a population. It was devastating to see so many dead bees. We learned so much from the experience of having an expert with us to figure out what went wrong and how to prevent it from happening in the future.<br />
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<b>No Spend and The Grocery Budget</b>:<br />
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As I said above, if you ever need inspiration for staying on budget, just listen to The Dave Ramsey show. Seriously. No spend has been moving right along. I have been tempted a couple of time, such as when I was unable to locate the single tube of lip balm and my lips were so dry last week.<br />
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Also, we received the information from our local Soil and Water department. They will be offering blueberries and hazelnuts among other this this spring. We are undecided as to whether this would fall under our No Spend since it isn't absolutely necessary or if we could use part of our household budget. We haven't decided yet but between the No Spend and the budgeting (I have only shared our grocery budget) it is really making us look at where and how we spend money.<br />
<u><br /></u>
<u>January 2017 $250.00</u><br />
Imported Brie Cheese (distributor) $ 35.91<br />
Organic Cashews $ 20.41<br />
Organic Pretzels, 12 pack (Amazon) $ 25.91<br />
Organic Coffee $ 10.04<br />
Organic Fruit (grocery store) $ 13.71<br />
Organic Food Box* $ 10.00<br />
Organic Raw Milk** $ 60.00<br />
Organic Fruit (grocery store) $ 5.79<br />
<u>Organic Flour (distressed, distributor) $ 20.90 </u><br />
Total $ 211.85<br />
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This leaves $47.33 for the month of January. We will definitely need at least one more pail of milk, probably two. At $25/each (this is for 5 gallons) we are going to be very close or over.<br />
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* This food box was for our local food pantry. After spending time with the kids checking out the dented and bruised section for organic fruit (we found some apples and oranges!), when we were checking out, we saw that they were offering boxes with organic rice, pasta, beans, and 3 cans of vegetables. I made a split second decision to add it to our cart. We had just read <a href="http://amzn.to/2j7Jo7c" target="_blank">Maddi's Fridge</a> so it seemed like a sign to see that box at the register the next day. The kids and I talked about it and all agreed that it was $10 well spent. We typically purchase items and donate them directly. Again, this is something we should discuss and use a charity envelope instead of our grocery budget envelope but at the time, it seemed more important to act and have the discussion with the kids then worry about where to fit it into the budget.<br />
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** You may be wondering why our milk costs were so low this month. I bartered for $90 worth of my salted caramel hot chocolate right before Christmas. This gave us almost 4 milk pails we didn't have to pay for, 3 of which were redeemed this month. Next month I will need to budget for paying cash for the 5-6 pails of milk we drink each month. Thankfully, February is a short month.<br />
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On a final note, I am planning on rejoining the CSA share so I am going to need to start setting money aside to pay for that by June 1st. With 4 months to go to come up with the $375 for the 22 weeks, I will need to set aside $93.75/ month, almost out entire budget after milk but the months of June-Nov will cost a lot less since we won't be buying much produce. I might plan on doing a pantry month to save as much of the grocery budget as possible in March, April or May.<br />
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<b>Decluttering</b>:<br />
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I have been successfully cleaning out the kids clothes as I have been doing the wash. We have been giving some away, through friends and charities and dropping some off at the consignment shop. If you haven't heard of The Buy Nothing Project, check it out and find one local to you. It is a great way to get to know your community, save some money and keep your extra things out of the garbage! I have also been using <a href="https://donatestuff.com/" target="_blank">DonateStuff</a>. You can pick the charity you want to support and they will send you a prepaid bag to fill with clothes, shoes and household cloth items. I have been using them for years.<br />
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So as my final update: <b>books</b>!<br />
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I will try to keep the list running so I can keep track of the number.<br />
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<a href="http://amzn.to/2j7QSah" target="_blank">The Recipe Club</a> was a quick, light hearted read. I wouldn't have chosen it but I did read it cover to cover in less than 48 hours so it was engaging. I didn't find any recipes to try but there were quite a few, many easy enough to make with kids. The book got pretty good reviews so give it a try. If you have read it, let me know what you thought down below.<br />
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<b>50 Books</b><br />
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<ol>
<li><a href="http://amzn.to/2j7QSah" target="_blank">The Recipe Club</a></li>
</ol>
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Enjoy your week!<br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">This article was shared on <a href="http://lindaslunacy.com/2017/02/making-a-home-homemaking-linky-254/" target="_blank">Lindas Lunacy</a>, </span><a href="http://www.homesteadingongrace.com/2017/02/homestead-blog-hop-122.html#more" target="_blank">Homesteading on Grace</a></span></div>
The Messy Organic Mumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00836448856608266593noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180129611594275289.post-54576184364146212132017-01-10T08:27:00.001-05:002017-02-14T21:57:59.651-05:00The 2017 Grocery BudgetAs part of my goals for 2017, my handsome husband and I decided to try a "No Spend" exercise for 4 months. The main goal was just to not buy anything unnecessary. I really wanted to try it because I wanted to pay down some of our debt and I, if I am being completely honest, I have been feeling very out of control in regards to my spending. Sure, we are paying the bills every month but I know that I have been spending money without too much thought on things from groceries to books. So the No Spend time was really about getting back in control.<br />
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Now, I happen to have a brilliant friend who continues to inspire me in pretty much every way possible. We have always been able to chat about money and goals and all those other possibly uncomfortable topics, something which I am eternally gratefully for. So as we talked about my hopes for No Spend, I just kept rambling and rambling and rambling (thankfully she is also an amazing listener with the patience of a saint). As I babbled I began to realize that there was more to it than simply debt. I began to realize it was about feeling overwhelmed and incompetent. I mean, the solution to not having debt is pretty simple, right? Don't spend more than you have. So why was I feeling so out of control?<br />
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As I cleaned the kitchen and continued to talk, I began to feel empowered and excited. (Any one else like that? You know, talk something to death? I swear, this is how I process certain things. Crazy!) And then my friend mentioned Dave Ramsey again. Yes we had talked about him before, especially when she and her husband were buying an expensive used car for cash and I was like, "Wow! That is amazing." In all honestly though, can anyone tell me why? I mean, if it were my kid, I would say to him, "if you have enough money, you can buy it." Why am I not living the same way? I used to be so aware of how much I was spending on groceries. I kept our monthly bill (not including milk) under $150 and we bought almost all organic, except for a few things for us grown up. What exactly was I doing?<br />
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After our conversation, I couldn't stop thinking about my poor decisions. Now I know you keep reading "my" and not "we" because my husband is not the spender, I am. He is, by nature and upbringing, a saver. I am not for the same reasons. It is something I have never really done. I am more of the ok, the bills are paid and there is X left, what do we want to do with it? Not a good philosophy. The more I thought, the more I became committed to this crazy no spend plan.<br />
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Of course, December 31st rolled around and I thought about any items that wouldn't make the list of necessities over the next month. I ordered my few extras that wouldn't be necessary, such as L2's birthday present and thought, no biggie, I can totally do this.<br />
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I did great for 4 days. Don't laugh. Seriously, only 4 days! On day 4, I stopped at a store sans kids to pick up one item. At the register, as I was thinking about my next stop, I saw the Christmas cacti on sale and thought, oh those look so nice. I was paying with cash so I picked one up. Literally 2 minutes later driving to the bank, I realized that I had just broken our no spend. Let me tell you, I spent the next 3 hours going over it in my mind and I realized a few more things about myself:<br />
1. I am a distracted shopped, especially without the kids! Without the kids, I am not grabbing only what I need and rushing out. Without the kids I am savoring that little bit of me time and perusing everything. It is easy to talk yourself into an extra soap or chocolate.<br />
2. Paying with cash *can* be problem for me. Without having a specific plan for the cash in my hand meant I had no accountability.<br />
3. I needed a budget.<br />
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Now the word budget gets a really bad wrap but in reality, a budget is nothing more than deciding how you want to spend your money. It is really a way to put yourself in more control. Needless to say, after realizing that money that wasn't set aside for something specifically was money that I tended to spend I came home and continued to stew. Over dinner with my husband, I told him that I bought a plant. Insane as it sounds, it was so hard for me to admit that I had failed. I could have said nothing and he would never have known but (and here's the weird part) I really wanted to tell him. I hated the moment I said it because I felt incredibly stupid, like one of those people on bad TV shows where everyone is thinking "What were you thinking you idiot!" but I told him anyway. Telling him, made me feel more accountable. I was admitting I messed up. I am not going to lie, it really, really felt terrible but as I realized that day, it was probably the best $5 I am going to spend all year. It was like a bucket of cold water and damn it, now I was feeling angry at myself. Game on, I told myself, I can do this.<br />
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So we talked about budgets and made some decisions. I have written $400 as our monthly budget but my goal is to keep it under $250. We spend about $125 in milk every month so that leaves me with $125 for other groceries. I wrote it all down and then started Googling "envelope system" because that was what my friend used. One thing lead to another and I spent a bunch of time on Dave Ramsey's site. Okay, I thought, I will check him out. I did a little reading and went to bed.<br />
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Once everything had ruminated in my brain for a day, I decided to listen to his show. A little warning: it can be addictive. Wholly moley batman, I was pretty determined to do a budget and a no spend before but listen to his shows and you too will be starting to plot permanent debt-free life. I realized that I can definitely do better so I am going to really start tracking our spending. I also have this rather competitive thing happening so I kind of want to see how tight I can go while still eating well.<br />
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Now we have a rather well stocked pantry so I am at an advantage at the moment. Between a freezer full of frozen organic meat and 50 lbs bags of flour, oats, coconut, etc. we don't have to buy too much, but those bags can add up pretty quick. I am hoping to squirrel away $350 between now and May from the grocery budget and sign up for our CSA share through <a href="https://newleaffarm.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">New Leaf Farm</a> because we absolutely love their produce. We also are budgeting $150 for home items such as seeds or home improvement needs. I am hoping to not use that much and tuck it into our savings.<br />
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For this month, I have already spent a good chuck of our grocery budget on 11.97 lbs of imported Brie cheese from the distributor ($3/lb on sale = $35.91) and a box of <span id="goog_515292469"></span><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000CR41D8/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=themesorgmum-20&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B000CR41D8&linkId=95bff74bbc25a60b1b598fadf86753d9" target="_blank">organic pretzel<span id="goog_515292470"></span>s</a> from Amazon ($30.50), neither of which most people would spend their money but I know that we eat a lot of cheese (tonight we had kielbasa, fresh bread, apples and brie for dinner) and pretzels with lunches are something we all love. I can see thought how $50 for a $50 lbs bag of flour will eat up a lot of the budget every couple of months though.<br />
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I plan to include an update of each month's budget in future posts and try to figure out ways to save money on organic grocery items. Feel free to share any ideas in the comments.<br />
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Do you have a grocery budget? How do you save on eating organic?<br />
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<br class="Apple-interchange-newline" /><span style="font-size: x-small;">This article was shared on </span><a href="http://lindaslunacy.com/2017/02/making-a-home-homemaking-linky-254/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">Lindas Lunacy</a><span style="font-size: x-small;">, </span>The Messy Organic Mumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00836448856608266593noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180129611594275289.post-36509385445658119562017-01-01T23:13:00.002-05:002017-01-05T11:00:14.376-05:00Happy 2017!<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ra1d8LvDNXU/UR0CPxen6RI/AAAAAAAAAMY/sQgX0Lr7HN8xpc7xQ8Wo6DyiUJbzOS44gCPcB/s1600/DSC02514.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ra1d8LvDNXU/UR0CPxen6RI/AAAAAAAAAMY/sQgX0Lr7HN8xpc7xQ8Wo6DyiUJbzOS44gCPcB/s320/DSC02514.JPG" width="320" /></a>Oh my goodness it is a new year already. I have spent the last couple of months thinking, oh I need to post this amazing (insert whatever I just made, pie, cookie, etc.) recipe! Only to look down and there is nothing left to take a picture of. Optimistically I then think, oh I will make it again this weekend and write down my changes and take pictures... can you guess what happens? No? Seriously? Okay, I know you know. Anyway, the holidays flew by and now it's the start of the new year, again. So many little changes and big goals are racing around in my mind. It can be rather overwhelming to think about all the things I want to get done. A year is a long time and yet, it is only a year.<br />
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How do you start the year? It is funny, until I started this blog, I wasn't huge about goals. The year started with the school year or with a new job/role, new baby, etc. The last couple of years, it has been more about seasons. Sap season, planting, chicks and hatching, canning, tomato season, garden clean up, butchering, hunting, holidays, cold dark reading days. The cycle continues in an ever turning wheel.<br />
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I like the idea of goals more and more. When setting goals, if you want to achieve them, you must actually plan. Because really, "a goal without a plan is a wish." (Antoine de Saint-Exupéry) Typically I am more of a goal setter and a poor planner. I am also terrible about holding myself accountable. How about you? Do you ever say, oh I will (insert great idea here such as stop eating too much chocolate, get more rest, exercise, weed the garden) as soon as I get up tomorrow? Yeah, we all do it. (If you don't you totally rock!) My main goal this year is to do better planning. Better planning starts with clearer defined goals broken into manageable steps. Last year I kicked off the year with doing a happiness project. This year, I am kicking off the year with a No Spend project (more about that later this month).<br />
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So without further ado, here are my broad goals as I have defined them so far.<br />
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<b>2017 Homestead Goals</b><br />
Garden focus: tomatoes, dry beans, cucumbers<br />
- Can enough tomatoes for an entire year without supplement<br />
- Grow and dry enough dry beans for the winter, I am thinking 15 lbs but need to do a better calculation<br />
- Grow enough cucumbers to eat and can 20 quarts<br />
Orchard Focus: tend to current fruit plants to encourage growth<br />
Animals and Livestock focus:<br />
- Reduce rooster population<br />
- Put chickens to work in the garden<br />
- Minimize swarming and increase honey production<br />
Overall Homestead Goal: Waste less, preserve more<br />
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<b>2017 Personal Goals</b><br />
- Read 50 books<br />
- Do a 4 month No Spend (started today)<br />
- Post at least once a week.<br />
Stretch goal for this blog: one recipe, one goal/other post per week.<br />
-Declutter and clean out all the stuff I don't need/want/use. Basically simplify my possessions.<br />
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Those are my starting goals. I hope to spend time shaping them more as the month unfolds. How about you? What are hopes dreams, goals and plans for this year?The Messy Organic Mumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00836448856608266593noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180129611594275289.post-41934608175268314792016-10-10T23:12:00.000-04:002017-01-03T09:14:40.637-05:00Spending the Day in the Kitchen?<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-u4sVXu35zJo/VlxblMTgsUI/AAAAAAAAByg/oUiY5ftuf5Amb1kLj_mM_4LgTF-Q3R8WQCPcB/s1600/kitchen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-u4sVXu35zJo/VlxblMTgsUI/AAAAAAAAByg/oUiY5ftuf5Amb1kLj_mM_4LgTF-Q3R8WQCPcB/s320/kitchen.jpg" width="320" /></a>Despite one of my more recent posts, I have been hesitant to post. First off, there has been a big change in how we spend our days: we have officially started homeschooling. It is a deeply personal choice, and while it might not be for everyone, it is definitely what is best for our family right now. Needless to say, we have been spending more of our time learning/teaching reading and cursive writing as well as enjoying tons of living books; today it was <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0618333452/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0618333452&linkCode=as2&tag=themesorgmum-20&linkId=4680cfd191c0c2b57d5f5962a9065fac">Seeker of Knowledge</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=themesorgmum-20&l=am2&o=1&a=0618333452" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />, last week it was <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/044981016X/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=044981016X&linkCode=as2&tag=themesorgmum-20&linkId=d85b25015017e8a2fd64c15849ef5f06">Over in the Wetlands</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=themesorgmum-20&l=am2&o=1&a=044981016X" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />, this week we will continue to explore monarchs with <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/038573719X/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=038573719X&linkCode=as2&tag=themesorgmum-20&linkId=49c47ee5c556ac2e9388dd10d0f08685">Hurry and the Monarch</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=themesorgmum-20&l=am2&o=1&a=038573719X" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> and <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1416900853/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1416900853&linkCode=as2&tag=themesorgmum-20&linkId=8a122dd52f7afe5f8790e5145a83309c">Monarch and Milkweed</a> as we watch for them as the days grow colder and shorter. I digress. This is not a homeschooling blog and I am planning on keeping it separate (leave me a comment below if you can think of a good title for our homeschool!). This space has been for me. A place to write about cooking and gardening and other fun aspects of our organic lifestyle.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>As you may have guessed, I truly enjoy cooking. I do not, however always enjoying writing about it, especially recently. Why not? Well, a couple of reasons but the main two are measurements and time. Sounds weird I know. As I have gotten better at cooking, I tend to "wing it" more often/ When it comes out great, I make a note of it, a handful of pineapple/coconut or a pinch of cinnamon, etc. I don't typically write down all my small adjustments. I rely on a handful of sources for baseline recipes and then adjust for our tastes. For example, I made an amazing soup last night. What was it? Well, I started by frying bacon (a few strips), a large onion, some butter and then I added grated parsnips and purple top turnips. Once that was starting to look a little crispy (how long? No idea!), I added a quart of stock, a bay leaf and a handful of garlic cloves. I cooked it down until most of the stock liquid was gone. Then I added another quart of stock, chunks of carrots and large chucks of potatoes (skin on because I really, really didn't feel like peeling). I let that simmer, while browning some butter and making a roux, adding the bubbling stock liquid to make a thick gravy. then I added some milk and added it all back to the soup pot. A spoonful of honey, a handful of grated Parmesan and another spoonful of cream off the top of the raw milk. I let it simmer on very low while the bread finished baking (which I threw an egg into that mix, hoping it would be fluffier) and served with fresh parsley. Did you see all the measurements above? Exactly, none. I just said, oh these two parsnips from our CSA need to be used and this handful of carrots. I started chopping and filling the soup pot until it looked like it was full enough. Then when it turned out great, there was nothing left to take a picture of and no measurements for replicating it. Plus I highly doubt I could make it again exactly as I did last night.<br />
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The second reason is time. I used to only write when the recipe was short and simple, it was special i.e. used honey, or it was quick. Last fall, I was chatting with another mum about dinners. She commented that she has no idea how we make so many things from scratch and still manage to serve multiple courses each night. I explained that we try to follow the French style of dinner with first course being a vegetable (like salad or beets), second course being a vegetable and a starch, third course is either a cheese course (which we haven't done since we stopped getting weekly cheese from Cricket Creek's dairy CSA), followed by dessert, which is always fruit and that doesn't happen often because we fill up on the first two courses. After she explained to me that she really just didn't want to spend the day in the kitchen. This is something other mums have told me as well. I can understand that, I don't usually spend a day in the kitchen. I use a <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002XVUAOU/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B002XVUAOU&linkCode=as2&tag=themesorgmum-20&linkId=fdfc62eb229be2dc54b8ec97e96a4b14">bread machine</a>, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00FLYWNYQ/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00FLYWNYQ&linkCode=as2&tag=themesorgmum-20&linkId=d80e503d29cab2a32b58ef9ce2dc0595">pressure cooker</a>, a <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00005UP2P/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00005UP2P&linkCode=as2&tag=themesorgmum-20&linkId=be5fc1756c44e835f7bcec88ccb6db43">KitchenAid</a>. It isn't like I spend two hours kneading dough every day. Lately, I <i>am</i> spending more and more time in the kitchen. I used to spend a max of 45 minutes prepping and making dinner.<br />
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Now, however, I am starting dinner over an hour before I want to serve it. I am intentionally choosing to spend more time in the kitchen because I am enjoying it more and more. You could make the soup I made last night more quickly but it wouldn't taste as good. I am learning. Spending the time to brown the meat and caramelize the onions makes a difference. I enjoy the end result so much more when I spend a full hour or two in the kitchen before meals. Go ahead and cream "BUT WHO HAS TIME FOR THAT?!" Well, at this point in my life, I do. I am enjoying doing lessons in the morning with L1, figuring out lunch, reading with the kids, and then sending the older ones out to play while the little ones nap and I start supper. I like the way my beans taste when I let them soak overnight and then cook them. I don't like planning. So I am learning to figure it out as I go. Earlier in the morning or even three hours before dinner, I am looking around the kitchen and thinking about what I can make with what I have. I am not at the planning too far ahead stage because I like to use whatever is freshest at the moment or whatever is leftover, trying to minimize waste. Is this still considered planning if it is done 24 hours or less before the meal? I don't know. It does take more time and consideration and for me it is worth it. Is it worth it to others? I have no idea and it has been holding me back.<br />
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A couple of years ago I picked up a worn copy of <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/031604251X/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=031604251X&linkCode=as2&tag=themesorgmum-20&linkId=b2390d9ab8847dce922569ef4a60e7c2">Julie and Julia</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=themesorgmum-20&l=am2&o=1&a=031604251X" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />, and I never read it. When I cleaned out my books, I found the <img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=themesorgmum-20&l=am2&o=1&a=1594831068" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1594831068/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1594831068&linkCode=as2&tag=themesorgmum-20&linkId=a3792c4567feca066d4eceffb979a435">book on audio CDs</a> that I had bought around the same time as the paperback. I tried listening to it and just couldn't get into it. I tried the paperback again but never seemed to get to the middle. To be fair and honest, I was also planning our wedding and working full-time so leisure reading wasn't high on the priority list. Then the <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002RSDW80/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B002RSDW80&linkCode=as2&tag=themesorgmum-20&linkId=8388c9e2fa48d30a46d024712d57f431">movie</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=themesorgmum-20&l=am2&o=1&a=B002RSDW80" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> was released and I thought, I have to see it! Needless to say, it was released in 2009 and I just saw it now, in 2016. A short delay I know but I am glad I didn't wait longer. It was so much fun and it made me feel like it was okay to enjoy spending time in the kitchen again, something I haven't felt like in a long time. These past few months, spending time in the kitchen has felt like a dirty secret. (See shouting words above.) Like I wasn't living up to someone else's standards because I couldn't make this amazing dinner in 30 minutes or less. We all have those nights where dinner had to be quick and easy. Hello, even Mark Bittman, author of one of my <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0764578650/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0764578650&linkCode=as2&tag=themesorgmum-20&linkId=d8122e4aa41f15353eab6d1b356564d1">favorite cookbooks</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=themesorgmum-20&l=am2&o=1&a=0764578650" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> had to come out with a <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1416575677/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1416575677&linkCode=as2&tag=themesorgmum-20&linkId=32b82d6507d387d90c4ec16030bb8e94">Kitchen Express</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=themesorgmum-20&l=am2&o=1&a=1416575677" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />cook book in order to compete. This constant movement has made me hesitant to discuss my extra time in the kitchen. All around me, every one is rushing, all the time. Nonstop. Last year I read a lot about minimalism and while I am clearly not a minimalist, I am trying hard to live more intentionally. I don't want to pass business on to my children. I want to pass on slow, deliberate and intentional living. Great food takes time. I can rush hurry it along but the more time I spend in the kitchen, the more I can taste the difference.<br />
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As I work harder towards intentional living, I am focusing on what is important. One of the things we are doing regularly now is <a href="http://www.bravewriter.com/program/brave-writer-lifestyle/poetry-teatimes" target="_blank">Poetry Tea Time</a>. It sounds simple: make some tea and read poetry with the kids. I heard about it and remember thinking "when will I squeeze that in?" But then one afternoon when the world seemed to be melting, I told the kids I was putting the kettle on and if they came back in five minutes with clean hands, we would have Poetry Tea Time. Off they ran, thinking something wonderful was in store. I quickly cleared the table and grabbed a handful of poetry books off the book shelves: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0786808071/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0786808071&linkCode=as2&tag=themesorgmum-20&linkId=dadd8b353f33b213db2c3c2bb559fab2">Baby Einstein</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=themesorgmum-20&l=am2&o=1&a=0786808071" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0316197661/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0316197661&linkCode=as2&tag=themesorgmum-20&linkId=d14d6df3fedecc8e0cea1a7e8715fd3b">Animal Crackers</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=themesorgmum-20&l=am2&o=1&a=0316197661" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0375843957/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0375843957&linkCode=as2&tag=themesorgmum-20&linkId=d0134abb84da3d3b983cc136d10789e2">Haiku Baby</a>, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0394850106/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0394850106&linkCode=as2&tag=themesorgmum-20&linkId=f2015efbb1fff8722a21796a5294065f">The Random House Book of Poetry for Children</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=themesorgmum-20&l=am2&o=1&a=0394850106" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> and <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1856979083/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1856979083&linkCode=as2&tag=themesorgmum-20&linkId=5c0cc5658a89167202666d49b3a64d79">Poems for the Very Young</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=themesorgmum-20&l=am2&o=1&a=1856979083" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />. Laugh if you would like, but these were the best I could find on short notice. I quit searching as soon as the tea kettle starting whistling, rushing back to the table. The baby - is 17 months still a baby? - had climbed onto the table and was trying to find some trouble to get into. I removed the baby with one arm and unceremoniously dropped the books on the table, turned and poured water into a pretty tea pot. I must admit, as I turned back and saw the kids sitting calmly, I was a little impressed. Not only did we owned quite a few poetry books but the kids seemed to think the idea of tea and poetry was something fantastic. Hooray, I am doing a little bit right! I smiled and told them to each grab a book and pick a poem. They browsed the books as I poured each a cuppa with honey in our mismatched cups with honey. Finally I set the baby into a chair and plopped down. Everyone looked at me expectantly, an open book in each set of hands. "Mine first!" each said in their own way. I took a deep breath and read 6-10 poems. Some were short, some made us laugh and each earned me a smile. In less than 15 minutes, our entire day seemed to be reset. As they quickly finished their tea and slipped away from the table towards the sunshine, no longer whining or demanding, I couldn't help think that it was one of the best ways to spend 15 minutes. Seeing a free moment, I wondered if a few minutes of poetry could reset me as quickly. I picked up my recently acquired but not yet opened copy of <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1594741093/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1594741093&linkCode=as2&tag=themesorgmum-20&linkId=5b82004670fd600a73c344fe9cc3bfa1">Haiku Mama: Because 17 Syllables Is All You Have Time to Read</a>. A couple of haikus later and I also wandered merrily outside into the sunshine. That moment is one I hope to always treasure. It is a moment that reaffirmed the notion that if something is important, we make time for it.<br />
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So once or twice a week, we make time for poetry tea time. All of us gather and sip and read and delight. And most days I use more than 30 minutes to make our meals. I don't spend 3 hours over the stove, slaving away. I do however spend a few extra minutes here and an extra ten minutes there. The minutes add up; they matter. So for the last two months I have continued to wonder if my extra kitchen time will make it less important to others. The answer is, I don't know. So now I am asking you for your opinion. Leave me some comments and let me know what you like reading about (gardening, book/product reviews, recipes, the animals, etc.), what kinds of recipes you like (short, quick or my favorites) and what you wish I included.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">This article contains affiliated links. This means that should you choose to buy an item I linked to, a portion of your purchase will be paid to me and help support this page at no cost to you. Thanks for looking.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Shared on <a href="http://www.homesteadingongrace.com/2016/12/homestead-blog-hop-112.html" target="_blank">The Homestead Blog Hop.</a> <a href="http://www.themodestmomblog.com/" target="_blank">Modest Mom</a>, <a href="http://lindaslunacy.com/2017/01/making-a-home-homemaking-linky-248/" target="_blank">Making a Home Hop</a></span>The Messy Organic Mumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00836448856608266593noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180129611594275289.post-72706707499866782432016-08-01T06:00:00.000-04:002017-01-02T16:33:02.348-05:00No Stir Simple Granola<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7rwDEDOC1VY/V55KQHjWYlI/AAAAAAAACK4/HxsQONl5hSo8xyOy3EmgELpIxX4g0K2UACLcB/s1600/P1040909.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7rwDEDOC1VY/V55KQHjWYlI/AAAAAAAACK4/HxsQONl5hSo8xyOy3EmgELpIxX4g0K2UACLcB/s320/P1040909.JPG" width="320" /></span></a>Happy August! I have always heard about granola. "It's amazing! What do you mean you don't eat it?" The things is, I never really cared for the really hard bits of not very sweet oats and nuts. I used to like Honey Bunches of Oats (way back when I bought processed food) and those had little tiny bunches of granola type clusters but they weren't the same. But I guess they were. When I got pregnant with L2, I tried a sample of locally made granola and was absolutely blown away. It was definitely not the granola I remember from high school. It was crunchy but not hard. Sweet but not sickly sweet and tasted like sweetened nuts. What had I been missing? To make a long story short, I realized I would have to learn to make it. I found lots of recipes but most seemed relatively time consuming. Then one of my best friends came to my rescue with a recipe that didn't require any stirring. It takes maybe 5-10 minutes to throw together and then you don't need to do anything until it is ready to eat, an hour and 40 minutes later. Seriously, unless you buy it already made, there is no easier way to make it that I have found.<br />
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<b>No Stir Simple Granola</b><br />
1/3-1/2 c. organic oil (I use coconut)*<br />
1/3 c. maple syrup or packed organic brown sugar<br />
1/3 c. maple syrup or honey<br />
1-4 t. organic vanilla extract (or almond) depending on other flavors<br />
1/2 t. salt<br />
5 c. old fashioned oats<br />
2 c. of nuts or other dry flavors such as seeds or coconut**<br />
spices***<br />
2 c. dried additions<br />
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1. Preheat oven to 325°C.<br />
2. Mix oil and sweeteners. Whip in mixer while getting dry ingredients together.<br />
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3. Mix nuts, oats, salt and seasonings together in a bowl.<br />
4. Add dry ingredients to oil/syrup mixture and combine.<br />
5. Add vanilla.<br />
6. Line pan with <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001T6JTMY/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B001T6JTMY&linkCode=as2&tag=themesorgmum-20&linkId=27615fa192b77a2cfbbb9671b69879e1">Parchment Baking Paper</a><img border="0" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=themesorgmum-20&l=am2&o=1&a=B001T6JTMY" /> if desired (I do, then I compost it.)</div>
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6a. Press into a baking sheet evenly. <br />
7. Bake for 40-45 minutes****<br />
8. Remove tray from oven and allow to cool (DO NOT TOUCH!) for 1 hour.<br />
9. Break up the granola and add whatever fruit or chocolate you want.<br />
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<b> Notes</b><br />
<b>*</b> I use 1/2 c. of oil because I use extra thick oats, however when I have regular old fashioned oats on hand, I tend to use 1/3 c. Both are delicious.<br />
<b>** </b>I almost always use 1 c. nuts and 1 c. shredded, unsweetened organic coconut.<br />
<b>***</b> I use a number of spice options:<br />
-1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon<br />
-1 tsp. cinnamon, 1/2 tsp. cardamom, 1/2 tsp. ginger<br />
-1 1/2 tsp. cardamom<br />
the possibilities are endless, these are just he ones I use most.<br />
<b>****</b> I usually only need 40 minutes in my convection oven. That said, a number of times I have needed to go somewhere and have cooked the granola for 25-30 minutes, then turned the oven off. I leave the granola in the oven with the door closed. When I return it is usually done and cooled. This is also something I do if it is hot outside.</div>
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This is our favorite recipe. I love it with milk in the morning. The kids love to munch it all day. I promise one of my most used phrases is "Get your hands out of the granola jars!" It is the perfect snack to have on hand and the easiest breakfast I have found.</div>
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Enjoy!</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: xx-small;">Shared on </span><a href="http://www.homesteadingongrace.com/2016/12/homestead-blog-hop-112.html" style="font-family: times;" target="_blank">The Homestead Blog Hop.</a> <a href="http://www.themodestmomblog.com/" target="_blank">Modest Mom</a></span></div>
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The Messy Organic Mumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00836448856608266593noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180129611594275289.post-8027877021415518392016-07-18T17:13:00.000-04:002016-10-10T22:15:31.988-04:00One Good Deed<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Em_S4fEwi00/V41FfXEZiuI/AAAAAAAACJo/P3r91xRy0swzPeoWefXEb6vnz9s4nql2QCLcB/s1600/13173163_1956984107780445_4376738531654288780_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Em_S4fEwi00/V41FfXEZiuI/AAAAAAAACJo/P3r91xRy0swzPeoWefXEb6vnz9s4nql2QCLcB/s320/13173163_1956984107780445_4376738531654288780_o.jpg" width="320" /></a>Recently I took L1 to the library in the evening after my husband got home from work. We went partly to pick up our books that came in, partly to sign out a local museum pass but mainly to return a book, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0525429077/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0525429077&linkCode=as2&tag=themesorgmum-20&linkId=60457f3a74c46ceccaad511f4d90b524">The Importance of Being Little</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=themesorgmum-20&l=am2&o=1&a=0525429077" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />, that was not only long overdue but also now billed to me. I had been working my way through it for the last two months. Because, as you may have guessed in my absence, things have been really busy. I would love to explain that spring is the busiest time of the year and all these things happened, because they did but the real reason for my absence has been lack of motivation. Sleep and energy too but mostly motivation. When you get out of the habit of something, it can be so easy to just let it go for a few days but then days turn into weeks and weeks into months and suddenly it is a whole different season. So today, as I looked over the couple of books that came for me, I saw that <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1419704176/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1419704176&linkCode=as2&tag=themesorgmum-20&linkId=931f70b18c343a3b5653606cbf5743d2">One Good Deed: 365 Days of Trying to Be Just a Little Bit Better</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=themesorgmum-20&l=am2&o=1&a=1419704176" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />. I figured that I could check out the introduction while I made lunch. Can you guess what it was about? Yep, doing good but on a larger scale, it was about doing what you are passionate about. One of the things I have been behind on and really missing, is writing. I miss your comments and being part of a community.<br />
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So here we are, months have passes and there is so much going on that I have no idea where to even begin. Here's the short recap: got piglets, they escaped, put them in the second garden (with electric fencing so they didn't eat all our peas) and let them clear the weeds. One beautiful sunny day in May, the air seemed filled with bees. Then we realized that the air was in fact filled with bees and our first hive swarmed. Exactly one week later, the other hive swarmed. We now have four hives. Three weeks later we saw that the old queens were laying eggs. Hooray! What a huge relief. Then we moved the pigs to the first garden, using an electric fence to move the boundaries so we could start planting both gardens. The pigs have now moved to their electric fenced pasture alongside the orchard. We have lost 9 chickens to the foxes that have a den in the neighbor's brush area. Many broody hens and many more chicks later, we have new broody hens.<br />
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We also joined a local CSA and we are receiving a small weekly share. Why join a CSA with our gardens? The main reason is that this farm grows some amazing produce and they seem to excel at all the things I have not grown well in the previous years. If there is something we aren't able to eat right now, I am making small batches and putting them up. I started in June, canning some pickled radishes.<br />
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There's a short recap of life this way and while the day to days have been truly full, picking up <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1419704176/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1419704176&linkCode=as2&tag=themesorgmum-20&linkId=2b51f5fe81f42acfa8f51f995a77a60a">One Good Deed</a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=themesorgmum-20&l=am2&o=1&a=1419704176" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> was the lightening bolt I needed to get back to writing. So thank you Erin McHugh!<br />
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What about you? Is there anything you love to do that tends to slip through the cracks, especially with nice weather or holidays?<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">This article was shared on <a href="http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2016/07/clever-chicks-blog-hop-202-featuring.html" target="_blank">The Chicken Chick</a></span>The Messy Organic Mumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00836448856608266593noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180129611594275289.post-90677193170628278572016-03-19T08:45:00.000-04:002016-03-19T08:45:02.907-04:00Old Log Inn Bar Soap<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ME_AOFfWles/Vu1H_rwsIwI/AAAAAAAACFM/4q1Qv8apxd8smwYYsXyoPAgoaS99UVYLQ/s1600/P1040409.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ME_AOFfWles/Vu1H_rwsIwI/AAAAAAAACFM/4q1Qv8apxd8smwYYsXyoPAgoaS99UVYLQ/s320/P1040409.JPG" width="212" /></a>Spring is coming. It is time for planning, planting, and cleaning. One of the things I need to clean out are all the drafts of articles I started to write but never got to finish. Today, I want to tell you about some amazing local soap I have been using for almost a year: <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/OldLogInnNaturals" target="_blank">Old Log Inn Naturals</a>.<br />
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I discovered them at the farmer's market last year and have been hooked. At first I enjoyed the Peppermint and some other scents. Then I found her Honeysuckle and Plumeria. After that, I only use this soap and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DAI76TC/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00DAI76TC&linkCode=as2&tag=themesorgmum-20&linkId=XEL2QGZALRTK6NSH">Dr. Bronner's Organic Unscented Baby Soap</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=themesorgmum-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B00DAI76TC" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />.<br />
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Did you know that it takes almost 5 times as much energy to make liquid soap than bar soap? Did you know that the packaging for liquid soap takes almost 20 times more energy than the packaging for bar soap? Bars of soap are unprocessed, last longer, are wasted less and better for the environment.<br />
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Did I have you at "wasted less"? People typically cannot judge how much liquid soap they are using the same way they can when they have to pick up and lather bar soap.<br />
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All the above reasons are why I prefer bar soap. With the holidays last year we decided to do mainly consumables because everyone uses them. We used our jars of sauerkraut, boiled cider, hot chocolate mix. Recipes to follow in the next couple of months.) Then I added two small, 1 oz bars of soap that I ordered special from Old Inn Naturals: Pumpkin Crunch Exfoliating Coffee soap and Vanilla Hazelnut Exfoliating Coffee soap. These are two of my favorite scents for the holidays, although her Cinnamon Gingersnap is right up there. I asked for them to be completely unwrapped so that there was no extra packaging.<br />
<br />
As birthdays roll around, I will be tucking the recipient's favorite scented soap inside a small package of birthday wishes. Perhaps next year, I will have to learn to make a nice soap saver bag to go with it. For now, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000VV2C1I/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B000VV2C1I&linkCode=as2&tag=themesorgmum-20&linkId=IQNNKPZM3QPPS65V">New England Naturals Earthline Sisal Soap Saver Bag</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=themesorgmum-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B000VV2C1I" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> is my go to. You can tuck all your soap slivers inside and use every last lovely bit. No waste and a few extra weeks of suds.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WJAcRZ2FmFI/Vu1H-K1AMzI/AAAAAAAACFE/4sFpTA4IMKEvtF0WQYXbvrlZxxxm_gj3Q/s1600/P1040408.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WJAcRZ2FmFI/Vu1H-K1AMzI/AAAAAAAACFE/4sFpTA4IMKEvtF0WQYXbvrlZxxxm_gj3Q/s320/P1040408.JPG" width="212" /></a>When I decided to write about Old Inn Naturals, I planned to write about all the great reasons why bar soap is better than liquid soap but <a href="https://www.lushusa.com/Liquid-Soap-vs.-Solid-Soap/Article_Liquid-Soap-Vs-Solid-Soap,en_US,pg.html?fid=tips-tricks" target="_blank">LUSH</a> already did a great job of that. You can find literally hundreds of reviews on reasons why bar soap is better so instead of wasting a bunch of time retelling you all the reasons, you can either read <a href="https://www.lushusa.com/Liquid-Soap-vs.-Solid-Soap/Article_Liquid-Soap-Vs-Solid-Soap,en_US,pg.html?fid=tips-tricks" target="_blank">LUSH</a>'s page or just believe me: it's better. Now that you have some extra time, you can order some soap and then spend some time deciding where to plant those seeds you also ordered/bought at the store. And since you won't have to go to the store as much because you ran out of liquid soap, you will have even more free time to do something you love. May I suggest a great book? <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0892968206/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0892968206&linkCode=as2&tag=themesorgmum-20&linkId=ENNZUD4PYZ74M76W">Folks, This Ain't Normal</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=themesorgmum-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0892968206" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> is what I am currently reading/listening to. It is fantastic. I might do a review later but honestly, books like this, I just never feel like I can do them justice.<br />
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Enjoy (smelling great inexpensively without all the chemicals)!<br />
<br />
p.s. If you want to stretch your soap (and dollars) even further, check <a href="http://dontwastethecrumbs.com/2014/10/8-tips-for-stretching-a-bar-of-soap/" target="_blank">Don't Waste The Crumbs</a>.The Messy Organic Mumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00836448856608266593noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180129611594275289.post-88271696944081740942016-03-04T15:15:00.000-05:002016-12-07T10:16:45.081-05:00Loco Moco: A Hawaiian Pork Recipe<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1MlQFphpaJU/Vs5EFZTmRBI/AAAAAAAACB4/hXOAReklOx0/s1600/P1040770.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1MlQFphpaJU/Vs5EFZTmRBI/AAAAAAAACB4/hXOAReklOx0/s320/P1040770.JPG" width="320" /></a>Some days I am at a total loss for what to do for dinner. I realize that most people seem to be pretty good at this with their weekly meal plans and shopping lists. I have tried it before and it never seems to work out for me. Seriously, never. I will make a weekly plan and pull out meat and then all it takes is one late night or busy day and the whole schedule goes crazy. Now I just don't bother. I pull a couple of packages of meat out of the fridge and then decide the day before, or the afternoon of, what I am going to cook.<br />
<br />
You know what I don't know what to do with? Ground pork. I have some great recipes but you can only have <a href="http://www.themessyorganicmum.com/2015/07/garlic-scapes-and-pork.html" target="_blank">pork burgers</a> and <a href="http://www.themessyorganicmum.com/2015/01/quick-pantry-meal-pork-pasta-and-sauce.html" target="_blank">pork and pasta</a> so often. And with two pigs a year, we get quite a bit of ground pork. Needless to say, I needed something new. Thankfully, <a href="http://www.justonecookbook.com/loco-moco/" target="_blank">Just One Cookbook</a> had just what I needed: <a href="http://www.justonecookbook.com/loco-moco/" target="_blank">Loco Moco</a>. I had never heard of Loco Moco but it sounded interesting and different so I figured, why not?<br />
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The ingredient list looked really long but it was all stuff I had. I even made the gravy, although I didn't add the friend egg to the kid's plates. When I fed my husband later that evening, I added the fried egg. Let me tell you: DO NOT SKIP THE FRIED EGG! It makes the whole thing that much better.<br />
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<b>Loco Moco</b><br />
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">1 large organic white onion (½ for patty, ½ for gravy), chopped finely</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">1 lb. organic ground pork</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">½ cup (20 g) organic unseasoned bread crumbs i.e. a piece of bread toasted and crumbled</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">1 organic egg</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">2 Tbsp. organic whole milk</span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s3">1 tsp. organic <span class="s4"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0058NJA8C/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B0058NJA8C&linkCode=as2&tag=themesorgmum-20&linkId=TZ6JNEFNGVNRN74F">Worcestershire Sauce</a>*</span></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">½ tsp. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00269YPBS/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00269YPBS&linkCode=as2&tag=themesorgmum-20&linkId=YBRJL7HZHAXPFPOP">organic nutmeg</a>*<img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=themesorgmum-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B00269YPBS" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">1 tsp. salt</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">organic black pepper</span></div>
<div class="p1">
Organic oil for frying</div>
<div class="p1">
Organic eggs for topping, one or two per person depending on their appetite</div>
<div class="p1">
organic parsley for garnish<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1"><b>Gravy</b></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">6 organic wild, dried mushrooms</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">2 c. stock (I used our canned pork stock)</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">1 tsp. </span>organic <span class="s4"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0058NJA8C/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B0058NJA8C&linkCode=as2&tag=themesorgmum-20&linkId=TZ6JNEFNGVNRN74F">Worcestershire Sauce</a>*</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">Salt and organic </span>black pepper</div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">1 Tbsp. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00MFC5P4M/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00MFC5P4M&linkCode=as2&tag=themesorgmum-20&linkId=TO33ACWLBEAQZEHZ">organic corn starch</a>*<img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=themesorgmum-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B00MFC5P4M" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">1 Tbsp. water</span></div>
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1. (Gravy) Place dried mushrooms, stock and Worcestershire sauce to a small pan to simmer on low.<br />
2.<span style="font-family: inherit;"> S<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.2px;">auté</span></span> onion in a little oil until translucent.<br />
3. Add half the onion to the gravy pan and half to a bowl to cool.<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_wew_HEQjpQ/Vs5EUEpHv6I/AAAAAAAACCA/igEHpQ7dDOc/s1600/P1040765.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_wew_HEQjpQ/Vs5EUEpHv6I/AAAAAAAACCA/igEHpQ7dDOc/s320/P1040765.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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4. In the bowl, add the ground pork, bread crumbs, 1 egg milk, milk, Worcestershire sauce, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Mix to combine.<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rWKAWK6dF6M/Vs5EL-bnIxI/AAAAAAAACB8/AjM6yt9-ghk/s1600/P1040769.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rWKAWK6dF6M/Vs5EL-bnIxI/AAAAAAAACB8/AjM6yt9-ghk/s320/P1040769.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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5. Make patties out of the meat mixture.<br />
6. Heat oil in a fry pan.<br />
7. By now, the gravy should be looking good and the mushrooms should be soft. Mix 1 Tbsp water with the corn starch, then add to gravy, allowing to gently simmer. If it is getting too thick, turn off.<br />
8. Fry meat patties until browned and cooked through.<br />
9. Place meat patties on plates.<br />
10. In the same fry pan, fry eggs. (We ate it with a runny yolk but the white was fully cooked.)<br />
11. Top patties with gravy and place a fried egg on the side.<br />
12. Garnish with parsley if desired and serve.<br />
<br />
The verdict? It was pretty good with the potatoes I served. It was amazing once I added the fried egg. The flavor was something we never eat so it was a different dinner than usual. We all really enjoyed it. It would be good with potatoes, rice, noodles or whatever starch you want. I served it with mixed veggies but a salad would have been a great first course. This is a recipe I will definitely make again.<br />
<br />
Enjoy!<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">* For those who are interested, I have added links to Amazon products. You can also get your seasoning and spices through <a href="http://thrv.me/Bt2a53" target="_blank">Thrive Market</a>, which is where I get mine. There is a membership cost, however I have found that their prices are worth it. I also frequent my local co-op and a couple of other local bulk stores. With the kids and the different shops spread all over, sometimes it is just easier to order them online then making lots of stops when we do go out.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Shared on </span><a href="http://www.homesteadingongrace.com/2016/12/homestead-blog-hop-112.html" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">The Homestead Blog Hop.</a>The Messy Organic Mumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00836448856608266593noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180129611594275289.post-54873366602328987822016-03-01T15:56:00.002-05:002016-03-01T15:56:51.473-05:00Bootstrapper<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8r_xSvfSSDo/VtX8l23rX9I/AAAAAAAACC4/-Lyx8j6XtbI/s1600/IMG_7274.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8r_xSvfSSDo/VtX8l23rX9I/AAAAAAAACC4/-Lyx8j6XtbI/s320/IMG_7274.JPG" width="320" /></a>I have no idea what I expected when I read the cover of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0307743586/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0307743586&linkCode=as2&tag=themesorgmum-20&linkId=5ALI3SIFBXKMGF4N">Bootstrapper: From Broke to Badass on a Northern Michigan Farm</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=themesorgmum-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0307743586" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> but it sounded intriguing. I ordered it from the library and then forgot about it.<br />
<br />
Total side note: I don't know how it works for you but I swear there are a handful of people out there who read exactly the same books as me. They take out a bunch from the library and return them all at once. I, in turn, then get them all at once. I can go a week or two with no new books, then BAM! Ten books show up at the library in 24 hours. Crazy but true.<br />
<br />
The new books to arrive for me were <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0307743586/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0307743586&linkCode=as2&tag=themesorgmum-20&linkId=5ALI3SIFBXKMGF4N">Bootstrapper</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=themesorgmum-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0307743586" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0049U444A/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B0049U444A&linkCode=as2&tag=themesorgmum-20&linkId=5GXZ5V4QLZ5ZS4NZ">The Human, the Orchid, and the Octopus</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=themesorgmum-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B0049U444A" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />, and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1609615549/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1609615549&linkCode=as2&tag=themesorgmum-20&linkId=KZGEQLJLPLCMI67P">The Soil Will Save Us</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=themesorgmum-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1609615549" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />. Now I had been waiting for <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1609615549/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1609615549&linkCode=as2&tag=themesorgmum-20&linkId=KZGEQLJLPLCMI67P">The Soil Will Save Us</a> and fully expected to start reading it once the kids went to bed. I was having a quiet evening and thought, well I should check out <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0307743586/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0307743586&linkCode=as2&tag=themesorgmum-20&linkId=5ALI3SIFBXKMGF4N">Bootstrapper</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=themesorgmum-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0307743586" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> in case I <i>don't</i> want it; I am going right by the library tomorrow.<br />
<a name='more'></a>So, I settled in the comfy purple chair to get the wood stove cranking before turning in. It was a blustery night with lightning crashing all around (I swear I couldn't make this stuff up! It was awesome.) and the rain coming down hard. The dog was curled up at my feet looking apprehensively out the window with every clap of thunder.<br />
<br />
I opened the book and began reading. The first few pages didn't really hook me as I am not a huge drinker but since it was the prologue and I didn't feel like getting up, I started to read the first chapter. I continued to stoke the fire but didn't really surface until I closed the book having finished the last page. For me it was a one sitting book, something that never happens any more. It was well into the next day and there wasn't any one thing that made me keep turning the pages but I did. Again and again. I was smiling at the end.<br />
<br />
The description lead me to believe it was more of a I got divorced and then I bought a farm and had to make it work because I spent all my money, you know, a little <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0767900383/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0767900383&linkCode=as2&tag=themesorgmum-20&linkId=TSJPCEXB475OKURE">Under the Tuscan Sun</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=themesorgmum-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0767900383" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />, a little <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/158008558X/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=158008558X&linkCode=as2&tag=themesorgmum-20&linkId=DXAGW4ND75ZMMIYU">The Feast Nearby</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=themesorgmum-20&l=as2&o=1&a=158008558X" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />, a little <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1416551611/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1416551611&linkCode=as2&tag=themesorgmum-20&linkId=RA5KY3FJ64OLMLSZ">The Dirty Life</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=themesorgmum-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1416551611" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />. (You can check out <a href="http://www.themessyorganicmum.com/2013/03/the-dirty-life.html" target="_blank">the review here</a>, it was truly fantastic. So fantastic that I might read it again this spring.) It was a little of those but then it wasn't. It was a story all its own.<br />
<br />
The author is struggling to make the finances work out on her little farm. They are barely scrapping by by eating cheaply and keeping the furnace off, even as ice kisses the window panes. There is also laughter, love, teamwork and happiness. It is a story of her journey but also of how her family grows together.<br />
<br />
Some might wonder whether they could relate to her: she is a decade older than I am, her kids are in different stages, she is going through a divorce, she reads and quotes meditation books to herself as inspiration, and few of us have seen their minivan on fire but there is a little something gets into you. One part wanting to see what happens next. One part reminding you of a dream you might have but haven't gone for it. As the chapters move in a snapshot style of each month, we dance through the seasons quickly, light on boring everyday details, heavy on moments.<br />
<br />
If you are looking for a light read containing moments of inspiration (chickens!) that will also make you laugh, pick up a copy and let me know what you think.<br />
<br />
Enjoy!The Messy Organic Mumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00836448856608266593noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180129611594275289.post-13135552419993231302016-02-26T06:30:00.000-05:002017-01-03T09:15:22.955-05:00Chicken in Milk<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LLfdPfG2-LY/Vs5C4liFMAI/AAAAAAAACBM/i33rmQzeMsk/s1600/P1040790.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LLfdPfG2-LY/Vs5C4liFMAI/AAAAAAAACBM/i33rmQzeMsk/s320/P1040790.JPG" width="320" /></a>We drink a lot of milk. I mean a lot. We love it and between the five of us, we consume about a gallon a day. We drink it raw and organic, just the way the cow intended. Okay, not really. We drink it chilled but otherwise it is just as the cow made it. As Joan Dye Gussow once said "As for butter over verses margarine, I trust cows more than chemists." In general, this is a guiding principle.<br />
<br />
The week after Christmas we were fortunate enough to find a new farm that follows organic practices selling raw milk: Jersey Meadows Farm in Ghent, NY. (Check out <a href="http://www.registerstar.com/image_da0a3d9e-c538-11e5-b487-b7a2d2dc42f2.html" target="_blank">this cute picture of their cows</a>.) Now I don't have to drive far to get our milk.<br />
<br />
Anyway, after having amazing success <a href="http://www.themessyorganicmum.com/2016/02/perfect-pork-chops.html" target="_blank">braising our pork chops and pork steaks</a> (one of the owners of Jersey Meadows gave me the pork chop recipe!), I decided that braising is something I need to do more often. My recipe research turned up an <a href="http://www.thekitchn.com/jamie-oliver-chicken-in-milk-best-chicken-recipe-all-time-80388" target="_blank">odd recipe for chicken in milk</a>. After checking out the ingredients I decided to live dangerously and give it a whirl.<br />
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Now the author doesn't include the specific recipe, probably because she refers to Jamie Oliver's site. His site however doesn't have the specifics either. This bummed me out. Another search found me at <a href="http://www.theredheadbaker.com/chicken-thighs-braised-in-milk/" target="_blank">The Redhead Baker</a>. Instead of a whole chicken, she uses chicken thighs. Perfect! That was what I was looking to make anyway.<br />
<br />
I followed her recipe except I didn't have a cinnamon stick so I sprinkled some in the bottom. Ditto with the fresh sage. The lemons were also not present in the kitchen so I used bottled organic lemon juice. The result was fall off the bone tender meat but it wasn't as flavorful as I had expected. It sure looked incredible though.<br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FlkWNIbcjHw/Vs5DKfKv-oI/AAAAAAAACBo/wImfX-oOLP0/s1600/P1040709.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FlkWNIbcjHw/Vs5DKfKv-oI/AAAAAAAACBo/wImfX-oOLP0/s320/P1040709.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Having not had the earth moving deliciousness that <a href="http://www.thekitchn.com/jamie-oliver-chicken-in-milk-best-chicken-recipe-all-time-80388" target="_blank">theKitchn</a> promised, I decided to try again, this time with a whole chicken. Well, I wanted to try again and then I bought 30 lbs of frozen organic strawberries for smoothies and need the freezer space. The whole chicken literally fell out of the freezer as I was putting the strawberries in. My thoughts immediately turned to trying it again. This time I stopped and picked up organic lemons and an organic cinnamon stick. I forgot the fresh sage again. Whoops.<br />
<br />
<b>Chicken Braised in Milk</b><br />
1 whole organic chicken or the equivalent of chicken parts, preferably skin on<br />
sea salt and black pepper<br />
4 TBSP organic unsalted butter and/or canola oil<br />
1 TBSP organic dried sage<br />
2 organic lemons, zest and juice<br />
8 cloves organic garlic, whole or minced (we tried it both ways and whole was delicious)<br />
2-3 c. organic whole milk<br />
<br />
1. Preheat oven to 375° F.<br />
2. Heat the butter/oil until hot. *If you use a dutch oven or oven safe pot, this is totally a one pot meal!)<br />
3. Liberally salt and pepper the meat.<br />
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4. Brown all sides of the meat.<br />
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5. Add remaining ingredients to pot, adding milk until the whole chicken is half covered or the thighs are mostly covered with only their top crispy skin showing.<br />
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6. Cook chicken covered for 1 1/2 hours to 2 hours.<br />
Note: you will see the milk curdling into cheese. This is supposed to happen.<br />
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7. Serve hot and enjoy!<br />
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The verdict? This was so good. The original recipe only called for the zest of lemon but I added more milk to make sure I had enough and needed the juice to get the milk to turn to cheese. It was lemony but not sickly so. The garlic and the cinnamon (which you couldn't tell was cinnamon) added the perfect balance. I served it with bread and ended up adding a little salt.<br />
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The next night, I shredded the remaining chicken, added a bit more lemon juice and garlic and stuck it back in the oven for 45 minutes. While it was heating I cooked linguine noodles and served as a kind of noodle soup. It was amazing. The sad part was that the whole chicken only lasted two meals because it was so tasty. I am sure though that another whole chicken will need to be liberated from the freezer soon.<br />
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Enjoy!<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">This article was shared on <a href="http://lindaslunacy.com/2017/01/making-a-home-homemaking-linky-248/" target="_blank">Making a Home Hop</a></span>The Messy Organic Mumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00836448856608266593noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180129611594275289.post-67331371791942225812016-02-23T20:34:00.000-05:002016-02-23T20:34:09.913-05:00Sweet Black Bean Dessert<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bB2rxolTECY/Vos5LWixdLI/AAAAAAAAB4A/7UGuQKO6XRc/s1600/P1040646.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bB2rxolTECY/Vos5LWixdLI/AAAAAAAAB4A/7UGuQKO6XRc/s320/P1040646.JPG" width="320" /></a>I know you have all ready about using black beans in brownies and hidden inside other dishes. Let me assure you, this is not one of those posts. In fact, I too have been skeptical and have not yet tried the black bean brownies. Call me a crazy purest but let's not mess with my brownies, ok?<br />
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That said, one of our goals is to eat more beans this year. Not only to the kids love them, they are great for us and relatively easy to grow. Plus due to all the fiber, they keep you (and kids) full a long time. This past year we experimented with growing four different kinds and I purchased a 25 lbs bag of organic black beans from our distributor at the very start of last year i.e about a year ago. We didn't grow a lot but we grow enough for us to sample the different kinds. This year, beans will take up a lot more real estate in the gardens.<br />
<a name='more'></a>Having always loved green beans, I have had a hard time deciding what to do with my bean space. Do I grow green and yellow bush beans, eat as much as we can fresh and can the rest? I love canned green and yellow beans. The kids though, they seem to prefer beans any way but canned. For them it is fresh or frozen. I love frozen green beans but the pigs take up a lot of space in the freezer. (For some reason the kids just won't let the pigs spend the winter in their rooms.)<br />
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So we grew more dry beans last year. That worked out well except what to do with them? Hear me out, we have loved eating <a href="http://www.themessyorganicmum.com/2015/09/oh-baby-its-getting-chili.html" target="_blank">chili</a> this fall and throwing them is soups is all well and good but... what else?<br />
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Most of the recipes I find don't use in season produce or call for seasonings I don't have. I have sautéed them in garlic butter or refried them. But surely there are other ways.<br />
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So after I made a batch of beans one night, I had some black beans left over. What to do with them that was new? A quick search for black bean recipes found this intriguing <a href="http://www.thaitable.com/thai/recipe/black-beans-in-coconut-milk" target="_blank">recipe by Thai Table</a>. I kept it mostly the same but well, you know how I am.<br />
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<b>Sweet Black Bean Dessert</b><br />
1 c. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00M8VSKW4/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00M8VSKW4&linkCode=as2&tag=themesorgmum-20&linkId=G47INNWAVKCWMT7M" rel="nofollow">Organic Coconut Milk</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=themesorgmum-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B00M8VSKW4" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
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1/3 c. maple syrup<br />
1/2 tsp. salt<br />
cooked organic black beans, at least 1 c.<br />
organic raisins (optional)<br />
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1. Warm coconut milk, maple syrup and salt in a pan.<br />
2. Add beans and some water.<br />
3. Allow the beans and raisins to simmer in the syrup for about 10 minutes, more if you like a thicker syrup.<br />
4. Serve warm.<br />
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The verdict? I was so not prepared for this combination. The syrup was really, really sweet and sticky. It was also so darn delicious we tried to get every last drop of syrup out. The kids argues over who got seconds (no one as I didn't make enough!).<br />
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This could easily have been pureed and made into a pudding type dessert and been fantastic. You could also easily add some spices such as cinnamon or cardamom. I loved the coconut flavor was subtle. A little coconut on top would also have been a lovely addition. It was however something I thought of after I gobbled my small cup. In a rare evening of having such a delicious dessert, the kids even played nicely enough that my husband and I got to enjoy an after dinner coffee before putting them to bed. See, this dessert really is magic!<br />
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Enjoy!The Messy Organic Mumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00836448856608266593noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180129611594275289.post-35977470832889765782016-02-19T06:30:00.000-05:002016-02-19T06:30:18.765-05:00On the Bookshelf - Feb 2016<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aCnPzH99hOE/VsOg-4QYIgI/AAAAAAAACAA/a1eTZdqBnqQ/s1600/P1040796.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aCnPzH99hOE/VsOg-4QYIgI/AAAAAAAACAA/a1eTZdqBnqQ/s320/P1040796.JPG" width="320" /></a>One of my goals for this site this year is to share more books with everyone. One of my favorite things is learning what other people are reading. Each month, I am hoping to share what I am currently perusing. This month is mostly cookbooks. The next two months will probably be heavy on gardening books. I am always looking for recommendations so feel free to leave a comment about what you are reading.<br />
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Books I really love, I will do separate reviews on but for now, this is what I am currently checking out, in order of appearance above.<br />
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<b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0674729013/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0674729013&linkCode=as2&tag=themesorgmum-20&linkId=SHPYALH37AL5PZZ5" rel="nofollow">Make It Stick</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=themesorgmum-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0674729013" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> </b></div>
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I have been wanting to read this book for a long time. I even tried to read it last year before E2 was born but never really was able to get into it. I think I was just uncomfortable and was having trouble focusing in general, 8 months pregnant and it happens. Now that life is getting a little more predictable, I am looking forward to learning some new things, just for me... french perhaps or understanding body language. Plus we are planning on homeschooling for now and I am hoping this book might give me some insight into how to help myself and my children be more successful in learning things that aren't necessarily as interesting as others.<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1476753407/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1476753407&linkCode=as2&tag=themesorgmum-20&linkId=TM3YLQ3EFHN3KRYC" rel="nofollow" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=1476753407&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=themesorgmum-20" /></a><br />
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<b><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1476753407/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1476753407&linkCode=as2&tag=themesorgmum-20&linkId=BFH74OVLPTDFVKGP" rel="nofollow">More than Happy: The Wisdom of Amish Parenting</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=themesorgmum-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1476753407" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /></b></b></div>
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I have a friend who hates anything that is considered a parenting book. I on the other hand, really enjoy certain books that are more about the experience and some philosophy. Not all books but some I really enjoy such as <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0143122967/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0143122967&linkCode=as2&tag=themesorgmum-20&linkId=NLEJKQTSHG7DATNJ" rel="nofollow">Bringing Up Bébé</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=themesorgmum-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0143122967" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> (read and love it), <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00R6PIXOW/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00R6PIXOW&linkCode=as2&tag=themesorgmum-20&linkId=AVSU3NNO24GXZYS3" rel="nofollow">The Danish Way of Parenting</a> (loved it),<img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=themesorgmum-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B00R6PIXOW" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/156512958X/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=156512958X&linkCode=as2&tag=themesorgmum-20&linkId=ENBD3W6M37XHU7KS" rel="nofollow">How Eskimos Keep Their Babies Warm</a> (finished parts of it and tend to give this to people as a baby shower gift),<img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=themesorgmum-20&l=as2&o=1&a=156512958X" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1583335471/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1583335471&linkCode=as2&tag=themesorgmum-20&linkId=WB36HPICAGFMHIAW" rel="nofollow">Parenting Without Borders</a> (on my to be read list),<img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=themesorgmum-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1583335471" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> to name a few. I am 95% done with this and am loving it so far. It is mostly anecdotal with a few suggestions for parents that I have found to be interesting. This isn't a do this and your kids will be awesome. It is more about understanding certain ideas such as kindness, forgiveness, honesty, etc. and how Amish parents try to instill those values in their kids. Very interesting.<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0385345127/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0385345127&linkCode=as2&tag=themesorgmum-20&linkId=IALJX5E5XQ73Y2NB" rel="nofollow" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=0385345127&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=themesorgmum-20" /></a><br />
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<b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0385345127/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0385345127&linkCode=as2&tag=themesorgmum-20&linkId=TBK3A4IG5U3IUEMV" rel="nofollow">The Kitchen Ecosystem: </a></b></div>
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<b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0385345127/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0385345127&linkCode=as2&tag=themesorgmum-20&linkId=TBK3A4IG5U3IUEMV" rel="nofollow">Integrating Recipes to Create Delicious Meals</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=themesorgmum-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0385345127" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /></b>
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I stumbled upon this book while checking out some other books and the description was too good not to check out. Who doesn't want to be a smarter, more creative cook? The book is about using ingredients fresh, preserved and then using the scrapes. It is laid out by vegetable which makes it easy to read the section about a specific vegetable but harder with regards to eating in season. Here's hoping there are some great recipes for the vegetables in my last CSA pick up today.<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0061887293/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0061887293&linkCode=as2&tag=themesorgmum-20&linkId=MCSE5CAYUOR7RNDR" rel="nofollow" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=0061887293&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=themesorgmum-20" /></a></div>
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<b><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0061887293/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0061887293&linkCode=as2&tag=themesorgmum-20&linkId=ZWYXXFJNXVEPS3SV" rel="nofollow">The Food52 Cookbook, Volume 2: </a></b></b></div>
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<b><b><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0061887293/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0061887293&linkCode=as2&tag=themesorgmum-20&linkId=ZWYXXFJNXVEPS3SV" rel="nofollow">Seasonal Recipes from Our Kitchens to Yours</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=themesorgmum-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0061887293" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
</b><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=themesorgmum-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0061887293" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /></b></b></div>
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Another accidental find. I immediately checked out the winter section and wanted to try the biscuit recipe as well as a few of the desserts. This book might need to be borrowed each season so my library fines don't runneth over. The recipes look amazing. Since a lot use sugar, I am hoping to convert a few and share them with you.<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1591865514/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1591865514&linkCode=as2&tag=themesorgmum-20&linkId=PU6IKMSI6ZKUAZT4" rel="nofollow" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=1591865514&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=themesorgmum-20" /></a><br />
<b><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1591865514/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1591865514&linkCode=as2&tag=themesorgmum-20&linkId=3LHG4JACG3OYBNDW" rel="nofollow">Grow More With Less: Sustainable Garden Methods: </a></b></b></div>
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<b><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1591865514/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1591865514&linkCode=as2&tag=themesorgmum-20&linkId=3LHG4JACG3OYBNDW" rel="nofollow">Less Water - Less Work - Less Money</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=themesorgmum-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1591865514" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /></b></b></div>
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Ah, the first gardening book of the year. This book is short and supposedly full of field tested methods for sustainable gardening. I am not going to lie and ignore the fact that "Less Work" in the title didn't help to draw me in. It is, however, the first of the year only because it arrived first at the library.<br />
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I recently listened to <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0143127152/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0143127152&linkCode=as2&tag=themesorgmum-20&linkId=MLWHRVMVZS7HYJTB" rel="nofollow">The Third Plate</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=themesorgmum-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0143127152" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> on audio CD and loved it. It really made me think about varieties and the types of plants to plant. I loved the audio so much, I listened to it twice, bought a copy of the book so I can take notes in the margins (when I get the chance) and gave away three copies as Christmas gifts. Needless to say, I know that there is a better approach to agriculture out there and every year I am going to work on discovering a little more. It will be a long process but hopefully, since my kids are doing it along side me, they will take some of what we learn and apply it in the future.<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1607747979/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1607747979&linkCode=as2&tag=themesorgmum-20&linkId=26WSHY3V6FNKMLSO" rel="nofollow" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=1607747979&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=themesorgmum-20" /></a><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1607747979/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1607747979&linkCode=as2&tag=themesorgmum-20&linkId=UG4YPXRPOMO7C2BM" rel="nofollow">Food52 Genius Recipes: 100 Recipes That Will Change the Way You Cook</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=themesorgmum-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1607747979" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /></b>
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I requested this book at the same time as the other Food52 cookbook. I am always looking for great ways to use the staples we make and buy. I have high hopes for this one after looking through the seasonal Volume 2.<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1906868336/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1906868336&linkCode=as2&tag=themesorgmum-20&linkId=52IIKHIUTH3RHD3X" rel="nofollow" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=1906868336&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=themesorgmum-20" /></a><br />
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<b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1906868336/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1906868336&linkCode=as2&tag=themesorgmum-20&linkId=4PDHURWBBHEPYBJS" rel="nofollow">A Bird in the Oven and Then Some: 20 Ways to Roast the Perfect Chicken Plus 80 Delectable Recipes</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=themesorgmum-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1906868336" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /></b>
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<img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=themesorgmum-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1906868336" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />
My sister bought me this for Christmas a few years back but I never really got around to reading it. Right now is a perfect time as we are deciding whether to get meat birds again this year or to only butcher our extra roosters. Right now I would like to can our rooster meat and skip having chicken but then I also recently tried cooking chicken in milk and it was delicious so it really can go either way.<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1603585788/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1603585788&linkCode=as2&tag=themesorgmum-20&linkId=VQXVIO53G7NRUJUT" rel="nofollow" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=1603585788&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=themesorgmum-20" /></a></div>
<b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1603585788/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1603585788&linkCode=as2&tag=themesorgmum-20&linkId=QJPFTKMEJVOKUL3M" rel="nofollow">The Art of Natural Cheesemaking: Using Traditional, Non-Industrial Methods and Raw Ingredients to Make the World's Best Cheeses</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=themesorgmum-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1603585788" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /></b>
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I have gotten part way through this book and am really excited. The author uses raw milk and uses kefir as one of the main culturing ingredients. We <a href="http://www.themessyorganicmum.com/2013/02/making-kefir.html" target="_blank">use/make kefir already</a> so this is very exciting. The author also goes into a lot of detail as to why I don't need to purchase a bunch of starter cultures since I am using raw milk. Cha-ching.<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0804188017/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0804188017&linkCode=as2&tag=themesorgmum-20&linkId=PIMXSFAAJQFVE3GX" rel="nofollow" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=0804188017&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=themesorgmum-20" /></a></div>
<b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0804188017/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0804188017&linkCode=as2&tag=themesorgmum-20&linkId=HLMK5MDFGUNJNI6E" rel="nofollow">Mark Bittman's Kitchen Matrix: More Than 700 Simple Recipes and Techniques to Mix and Match for Endless Possibilities</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=themesorgmum-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0804188017" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /></b>
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My last selection for the month is one of Mark Bittman's newer cook books. I currently own <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0764578650/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0764578650&linkCode=as2&tag=themesorgmum-20&linkId=RFN4J6Z27HM4DJFB" rel="nofollow">How to Cook Everything</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=themesorgmum-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0764578650" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> and it is the single most used cookbook hands down. I refer to it for pizza, for biscuits. It is where my <a href="http://www.themessyorganicmum.com/2014/12/cinnamon-rolls-with-cream-cheese.html" target="_blank">cinnamon rolls</a> started from. It is one of my favorite presents to people just moving out. I am looking forward to checking his new book out. If it is as good as the other one, I will end up buying and loving it.<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0062382462/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0062382462&linkCode=as2&tag=themesorgmum-20&linkId=YABUTI3LMPHFN4AT" rel="nofollow" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&ASIN=0062382462&Format=_SL250_&ID=AsinImage&MarketPlace=US&ServiceVersion=20070822&WS=1&tag=themesorgmum-20" /></a>So there you have it. February's book list. I realize that the month is half over but I have been reading and recovering! The only other book I didn't list, because it isn't in the picture, is:<br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0062382462/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0062382462&linkCode=as2&tag=themesorgmum-20&linkId=FEIE43AR6ZMSHC5N" rel="nofollow"><b>Unprocessed</b></a><br />
I bought <img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=themesorgmum-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0062382462" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />this book as an ebook with some free credits I had from Amazon. Our library didn't have a copy in the system and I had the credits so I got it. I did miss the physical book but the Kindle version was a little easier while I was nursing. It has been so amazingly great that I can guarantee a review in the near future.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">*note: this is not paid advertisement, however these are affiliated links. That means that should you choose to buy one of these books, I will get a small commission. There is no cost to you but the couple of cents here and there add up and help to keep this site running.</span>The Messy Organic Mumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00836448856608266593noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180129611594275289.post-34244965454894582252016-02-17T06:30:00.000-05:002016-02-17T06:30:07.935-05:00Perfect Pork Chops<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8YL60X4IDK8/VrN3Qifx4tI/AAAAAAAAB9k/cdIKdLhx2uY/s1600/P1040700.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8YL60X4IDK8/VrN3Qifx4tI/AAAAAAAAB9k/cdIKdLhx2uY/s320/P1040700.JPG" width="320" /></a>I feel like I am finally back to the land of the living. I don't know about everyone else, but this past winter has been crazy. First a head cold, then the stomach bug (that lasted a week!) and then -20° F... and now today it was 56°F... so weird. I hope that everywhere else is faring much better. Before all the craziness started, I had lunch with a dear friend. She cooked one of the most delicious meals. I seriously considered licking the plate once the kids had run off to play and she took her toddler to the bathroom. Not the dainty lick, either, the furious "must get every last drop" kind of lick. When I again expressed my appreciation, she laughed and told me how easy it was, and that this was the leftovers.<br />
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Needless to say, I had to learn to make it.<br />
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You know what the funniest thing is? It is ridiculously simple and everyone I have raved about it to has said, oh yeah, that's old school. Or something along those lines. Seriously? Where the heck have I been living? The only bright side of this rock is that my dad hadn't ever had it (he doesn't like sauerkraut) and he is now interested in growing extra cabbage so he can make sauerkraut so that he can make this recipe. Yep, it really is <i>that good</i>.<br />
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<b>Perfect Pork Chops a.k.a. Braised Pork Chops with Sauerkraut</b><br />
*this recipe takes 3 hours to cook but only about 10 minutes or less of active work.<br />
Organic, pasture raised pork Chops<br />
organic sauerkraut<br />
salt and pepper<br />
water<br />
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1. Preheat the oven to 375° F.<br />
2. Liberally salt and pepper the pork chops.<br />
3. Brown pork chops on both sides in a dutch oven or oven safe pan that has a cover.<br />
4. Top the pork chops with sauerkraut.<br />
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5. Add water to the pan, double the amount that you want to have left. I add enough water to almost over the pork chops, about an inch.<br />
6. Cover and cook at 375° F for 45 minutes.<br />
7. Turn the heat down to 300°F and cook for at least 2 hours.<br />
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8. Serve. Enjoy your (real) When Harry Met Sally moment.<br />
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The verdict? I don't have enough pork chops and pork steaks in my freezer to have this once a week and so I am a little sad. But then I cook it again and forgot all about that. This recipe is so good. It has even made a sauerkraut eater out of me. (I know, I know, another thing I am learning to like.)<br />
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If you do anything in the next 30 days, try this recipe. Serve it with mash potatoes, serve it with noodles, bread or just a salad. I promise you won't be disappointed.<br />
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Okay, I am now off to pull another package of pork chops/steaks out of the freezer.The Messy Organic Mumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00836448856608266593noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180129611594275289.post-51355904695713947672016-01-14T07:00:00.000-05:002016-01-14T07:00:01.369-05:00Maple-Glazed Carrots<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lSlrN7_e7qA/VpMdLbDGAmI/AAAAAAAAB50/S8uy52MVo2Q/s1600/IMG_7051.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lSlrN7_e7qA/VpMdLbDGAmI/AAAAAAAAB50/S8uy52MVo2Q/s320/IMG_7051.JPG" width="320" /></a>I have a weakness for cookbooks. Inside, there are so many recipes and techniques. Here's the thing, by owning them I am able to aspire that some day, hopefully, I will be an amazing cook (who can host dinner parties with ease and have a perfect, Martha Stewart house). I realize this isn't true but to this day I remain hopeful. For the last year though, I have been purging my cookbooks. I have been reading them and guess what? Most of the ones I have owned don't contain recipes that are so amazing that they are worth the space on my shelf. I know, go ahead and pause as you think, no duh silly! It's okay I realize other people already know this. I take no offense. Cookbooks offer hope and don't we all need a little hope every now and then?<br />
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Sorry, I digress. Even as I have purged cookbooks, I have still had quite a few on my shelf that I haven't gotten around to reading. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001V7U6VY/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B001V7U6VY&linkCode=as2&tag=themesorgmum-20&linkId=EQ2J7BCAK5TOI7ZY" rel="nofollow">Recipes from America's Small Farms</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=themesorgmum-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B001V7U6VY" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> is one such book. So this evening when I was trying to come up with yet another way to prepare beets (our winter CSA is great but I picked up too many beets and carrots), I checked the index.<br />
<a name='more'></a>The recipe for Marinated Beets looked and sounded great until I realized I didn't have 1. time to roast, marinate for 12 hours then serve 2. and fruit vinegar 3. feta cheese 4. mint leaves 5. walnut oil.<br />
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Moving on, I checked the index for carrot recipes. On the page opposite from the marinated beets recipe was Microwave Maple Glazed Carrots. Sigh, we all know what happened to <a href="http://www.themessyorganicmum.com/2013/02/death-of-microwave.html" target="_blank">The Microwave</a>. I read the recipe anyway. Nope, no orange juice (but we do have orange peach and mango juice) and yep, I have everything else. Sweet!<br />
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<b>Maple-Glazed Carrots</b><br />
as many carrots as you need for dinner already cooked until soft (I used my <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00FLYWNYQ/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00FLYWNYQ&linkCode=as2&tag=themesorgmum-20&linkId=7YKO4UIW24WXE552" rel="nofollow">Instant Pot</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=themesorgmum-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B00FLYWNYQ" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> to cook the carrots - go ahead, act shocked - and made enough carrots for another meal too)<br />
1/2 c. organic juice<br />
3 TBSP maple syrup<br />
2 TBSP organic raisins<br />
1/8 tsp ground organic nutmeg<br />
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1. Heat juice to simmer.<br />
2. Add carrots, maple syrup, raisins and nutmeg.<br />
3. Simmer on low until raisins are plump and tender and juice thickens to desired consistency, approx. 10-15 minutes.<br />
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Seriously, that is it. The recipe also called for 2 TBSP organic butter but I forgot it. I served it with <a href="http://www.themessyorganicmum.com/2015/06/potatoes-with-turkey-fat.html" target="_blank">oven roasted potatoes</a> (made with oil, not turkey fat) and a pork roast which I followed the same recipe as <a href="http://www.themessyorganicmum.com/2014/04/one-hour-beef-roast.html" target="_blank">the one hour beef roast</a> except I cooked it for 20 minutes on 500 then 40-60 minutes on 325, depending on the thickens. I rubbed the roast with fresh pressed organic garlic (with so much garlic as part of the winter CSA, I use a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000CD0HX/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B0000CD0HX&linkCode=as2&tag=themesorgmum-20&linkId=KUWA7M5JAUGR3CTE" rel="nofollow">garlic press</a> a lot)<img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=themesorgmum-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B0000CD0HX" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" />
and black pepper. I topped it with a couple of slices of bacon (which I removed after the initial 20 minute searing and set aside). Our dinner menu looked like this:<br />
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1st course: maple-glazed carrots<br />
2nd course: potatoes and pork roast<br />
3rd course: slices of Colby cheese from our local farm with small pieces of bacon on top<br />
4th course: blueberry yogurt<br />
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These carrots were so good. They were super sweet and really didn't need as much maple syrup and could have been dessert. I think the butter would have added richness but it was fantastic without it. Plus since I served it first, I was able to dip my pork and potatoes in the juices. So delicious.<br />
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How do you cook your carrots?The Messy Organic Mumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00836448856608266593noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180129611594275289.post-29270542202079186262016-01-10T06:30:00.000-05:002016-01-10T20:48:46.874-05:00Happy 2016! <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vEErkJCXf6M/VpHErs8XqsI/AAAAAAAAB48/r2-g5abQXZ4/s1600/P1040659.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vEErkJCXf6M/VpHErs8XqsI/AAAAAAAAB48/r2-g5abQXZ4/s320/P1040659.JPG" width="320" /></a>Happy New Year! I hope that everyone had a fantastic holiday season. We have been spending lots of time with family and being outdoors, enjoying the beautiful weather, although this week it is getting cold. Now that the new year is here, I am hoping that things will slow down a little. E2 is crawling and decidedly not slowing down but I figure I can let him do all the zooming and I can just sit back and watch. What do you think the chances are of that happening? Yeah, probably zero but it's a new year so hope is everywhere.<br />
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This Christmas Eve we spent time with both families and I figured why not ring in the new year sharing my favorite food from Christmas Eve with my in-laws. One of the things my mother-in-law makes really well is fish. I mean, she makes it <i>really, really</i> well. It is always flaky and moist and the perfect combination of flavors. The one I ate on Christmas Eve was hands down the best I have ever tasted and she happily shared her recipe, kind of.<br />
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Have you ever tried to get a recipe from someone very experienced? "I take a pinch of this and a handful of..." Yep, this is one of those recipes but short of not using enough salt and pepper (which you can add later!) you really can't mess it up. If I can make it, you can.<br />
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<b>Polish Christmas Eve Fish</b><br />
At least 1 lbs white fish - I used Cod since that was what she used but she swears that Haddock is much tastier<br />
flour<br />
salt<br />
pepper<br />
1 yellow organic onion, sliced in rings<br />
oil<br />
lemon, optional<br />
organic potato chips, see the end<br />
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1. Preheat oven to 375.<br />
2. Mix a handful of flour, salt and pepper together.<br />
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3. Flour the fish. I cut my fish into smaller pieces to make it easier but you don't have to. Set aside.<br />
4. Heat oil in a pan.<br />
5. Lightly fry the fish but do not cook through. You just want to crisp the edges. Remove from the pan and set aside.<br />
6. Fry onions until just softened. Remove 1/2 the onions.<br />
7. Place 1/2 the onions with some of the oil into an oven safe pan, cover with a lid/tin foil. I used my <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00JLUNYJ4/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00JLUNYJ4&linkCode=as2&tag=themesorgmum-20&linkId=IBU6OEJ6TYFVQW77" rel="nofollow">sauté pan</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=themesorgmum-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B00JLUNYJ4" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> so I could make it all in one pan. (Who loves less dishes... I do, I do. Sorry I sing to myself when I cook.)<br />
8. Place fish on top of the onions and cover with the remaining onions. Cover the pot.<br />
9. Place pot in oven for 10 minutes.<br />
10. Turn oven off and allow the fish to cook in the oven for an additional 10 minutes at least.<br />
10a. If you aren't ready to eat the fish immediately, leave in the oven until you are ready to eat, it won't over cook. If you aren't going to eat for a while, you can reheat the fish in the pan in the oven at 200.<br />
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11. Serve with a splash of lemon juice (and crushed potato chips, if desired - see note below).<br />
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The verdict? It was just as delicious. The onions taste incredibly sweet and the fish is moist. This will be my go to recipe for fish, pretty much forever.<br />
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Potato chip note: While we were eating, the kids noticed the bag of organic plain, salted (contradiction?) potato chips on the table and wanted some. Since I hadn't salted the fish enough, after giving them theirs, I crushed a few on top of mine and it was just as good. The fish became sweet with a hint of lemon, crunchy with a little salt and still melt in your mouth moist. A decidedly perfect combination.<br />
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Enjoy!<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">This article was shared on <a href="http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2016/01/clever-chicks-blog-hop-173-featuring.html" target="_blank">The Chicken Chick.</a> This article may contain affiliated links.</span>The Messy Organic Mumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00836448856608266593noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1180129611594275289.post-78244464194725771582015-12-14T06:30:00.000-05:002016-01-10T20:49:04.171-05:00Honey Glazed Beets<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-05qIK5mDcW0/VlSmqJ5JErI/AAAAAAAAByA/1mb6RKIMdcA/s1600/P1040556.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-05qIK5mDcW0/VlSmqJ5JErI/AAAAAAAAByA/1mb6RKIMdcA/s320/P1040556.JPG" width="320" /></a>As part of our winter CSA, we got a bunch of beets. The kids love beets and I had planned to pickle and can them using the recipe from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0762449683/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0762449683&linkCode=as2&tag=themesorgmum-20&linkId=CVDC74LFGGMKMOBG" rel="nofollow" style="text-align: center;">Preserving by the Pint</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=themesorgmum-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0762449683" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> but... well, life got busy and I only got them half made. How do you half pickle beets you may be wondering and trust me this wasn't some kind of weird science experiment. Instead it was a delicious accident caused by being too busy one night and refusing to let anything go to waste.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>Let me start at the beginning. In order to pickle beets, they must be cooked enough to peel. I cook them in my <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00FLYWNYQ/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00FLYWNYQ&linkCode=as2&tag=themesorgmum-20&linkId=GQXVTZTLORTSJGXL" rel="nofollow">Instant Pot</a><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=themesorgmum-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B00FLYWNYQ" height="1" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> for 25 minutes using the manual setting on high pressure. Then they are cooked enough to peel. This time though I made double, enough for dinner, cut smaller, and enough to make a small batch of pickled beets, cut a little bigger so they wouldn't be overcooked once I processed them in a boiling water bath.<br />
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I had planned to mix the pickling brine <i>after </i>the kids had gone to bed but that never happened. Instead I popped them into the refrigerator and figured I would get to it the next day. Three days passed and they were no longer in their prime. A quick google search provided the answer: <a href="http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/brown_sugar_glazed_beets.html" target="_blank">Glazed Beets</a>, except I decided to use honey instead. And I didn't have plain orange juice. Sigh.<br />
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<b>Honey Glazed Beets</b><br />
1-2 TBSP honey<br />
2 TBSP organic juice (I used orange mango peach)<br />
1 TBSP organic unsalted butter<br />
1/4 tsp salt<br />
1/4 tsp ground pepper<br />
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1-3 cups of cubed organic beets, cooked<br />
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1. Mix all ingredients except beets in a small sauce pan.<br />
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2. Cook on low until the mixture is bubbly and hot.<br />
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3. Add beets and toss.<br />
4. Cook until the sauce thickens and beets are thoroughly heated.<br />
5. Serve hot.<br />
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The verdict? Not much left for me to try or take a picture of. These were fantastic. Beets are something I am also not a huge fan of. My husband and kids on the other hand, love them. I am giddy to have found a way that I enjoy them too. And until I love them, these last tiny six pieces are enough for me.<br />
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Enjoy!<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">This article was shared on </span><a href="http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2016/01/clever-chicks-blog-hop-173-featuring.html" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">The Chicken Chick.</a></div>
The Messy Organic Mumhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00836448856608266593noreply@blogger.com2