Filipino Chicken Adobo

I found this recipe on a forum I was a member of quite some time ago. It is delicious served with rice. I like to double the sauce ingredients so we can ladle it over the rice.

3# chicken thighs
3 crushed garlic cloves
3 bay leaves
peppercorns (about 12-15, your preference)
1 c vinegar
1 c water
1/2 c organic soy sauce
2 T sugar
S&P to taste

Place chicken in a heavy bottomed pan. Add remaining ingredients. Cover & bring to a boil. Turn heat down to medium/medium-low. Simmer til liquid has thickened, and chicken is cooked. Remove bay leaves, & serve over rice.

Seminoe Reservoir, N Platte arm & beautiful Wyoming scenery & sky

April birthdays

Yup, way late posting this. Tris & Hubba's birthdays are the end of April. Here they are opening their pressies.

Yu-gi-oh cards from the brothers

Indiana Jones stuff from Meema

Nice shirt from Mamaa

And his own pick from Mom & Dad- fishing pole & a filet knife

Hubba got cards, money & a book. The book was from his Mom.

Kahlua

I am blessed. I have awesome Mom & Dad in-laws. Truly, I mean that! I emailed my Mom in-law a couple months ago. Several years back she shared a homemade kahlua recipe with me & in between lots of moves it got lost. So.... I asked for it again. Here's the email she sent me. I did change *names of the family members* she mentions:

I can't believe I found it! It had addresses on the back of where * Jane, Joanne & Sam* lived 30 years ago.

Here you go!

Kahlua (I'm not sure if that is correct)

3 Cups Water

3 Cups Granulated Sugar

10 Teaspoons Instant Coffee

4 Teaspoons Vanilla

1 Quart Vodka (Cheapest you can get)

Bring water, sugar and coffee to boil. Simmer 1 hour. Cool to room temperature, add vanilla and vodka.

Easy as pie!

Enjoy

Love,

Mom

See? I told you she rocks!!

Thank you Hunt's brand!

I had heard that Hunt's ketchup had gone back to a HFCS-free ketchup. While in the store a couple days ago, I saw it with my very own eyes. I'm very excited about this. While I know that Hunt's ketchup is still not the perfect food (neither is the organic stuff that's processed), this is one of our "compromise foods."

If you enjoy a HFCS-free diet, or you like ketchup, please send Hunt's an email showing your appreciation!
I did:

"I wanted to thank you for going back to a HFCS (high fructose corn syrup) free product with your ketchup. I had been buying organic ketchup, as in my area, it was the only ketchup I could find with no HFCS. HFCS-free foods are extremely important to our family. Thank you so much for making this change. We will be able to purchase Hunt's ketchup & do so more affordably now that we don't *have to* buy organic."

My week long "internet sabbatical" in review

"A sabbatical is a period away from your normal routine - a time to immerse yourself in a different environment, a chance to see your life from a different perspective"

This past week I have taken time away from the internet to refocus & play a little game of catch up. I did get online each day to check emails, as that's how my jobs are doled out & how I head up the food co-op & homeschool group. I went into this week knowing that there was no way I could catch up 100%, but I wanted to begin.This is only part of the week. I have another post lined up with more pics & more stuff that we did. I also plan on catching up on more stuff over the weekend & & next week.

After the year I've had, I have gotten so far behind in...... well, everything. My home has taken a hit. Our homeschooling has taken a hit. The garden, the animals & "homestead" projects.... all have taken a hit. As a friend of mine said "it's been an armpit of a year."

So, I decided to shower my year, add some deodorant & pray for the best......Here is my week in review:

We spent Monday at the lake with some people we know. I think I found a true & good friend. They also helped BIG time when we had the sewage flood. I got burned horribly on my lower shins. We had fried chicken & chips & cake, and we fished. The kids got to go 4-wheelin'! It was a blast!



I got my bathroom back on Tuesday..... The sanitation crew came & took their last 3 fans & the dehumidifier



More importantly, I got my bedroom back!!! I love my bed!

I made another batch of mayo. This stuff is the bestest!

I used the delicious mayo to make a batch of coleslaw

I made a batch of homemade spaghetti sauce

We enjoyed that sauce with pasta, spinach salads & watermelon....

I started a batch of kraut in my new-to-me glazed crock. I got it for 2 bucks at a yard sale last weekend!

I made time to enjoy some hot tea. Mmmm.... Madagascar Vanilla Red.....

We played Uno

I did lots & lots of laundry. The good news is- I caught up from the sewage flood we had.

I fixed the gate to the chicken run

We enjoyed some DELICIOUS hard boiled eggs from the backyard. Oh.my.yum!

We watched the puppy play. We played with the puppy. We laughed at the puppy. We even had to get on to the naughty puppy some.

The joys of having a St. Bernard..... We vacuumed lots of fur..... lots.

I got sunburned twice. In the same place on my body..... YOUCH!

The bestest..... We had brotherly love.

We enjoyed many breakfasts & lunches together. Usually, I don't eat at the same time as the kids, so we tend to miss out eating together (except at dinner). This was one of the best parts of my week


I made kefir cheese

We had BBQ ribs in the crockpot


We did a lot of dishes..... A.lot.

I got to go to a "pre-yard sale" sale at a friend's house. We got some books & a rug, and a pair of shoes for Kee to grow into, and this (I have wanted one of these for ages!):


I made chocolate syrup


And I rescued my dairy kefir grains from the fridge


I rescued my sourdough starter from moldy neglect, only to find out..... it didn't work :-(


I made Amish Friendship Bread. Instead of mixing & baking, I allowed it to soak for 7 hours, just to see if it's work. I didn't get a pic because it went that quickly. Oops. Yeah, it worked!


I enforced some child labour


But we got the walkways dug & the garden beds raised. That aforementioned boy ROCKED!!!




I finished 2 of my recycled lilac limbs trellises


We planted bean plants & bean seeds, pepper seeds, squash plants & seeds, carrot seeds & I covered the corn plants again.

After going to the lake, the poor Uplander was in dire need of some TLC. We vacced & wiped & scrubbed the inside of that baby..... Sand, dirt, puppy fur be gone!

We tormented the poor little kitty. OK, no we didn't.


We fed the puppy a.lot. Another joy of having a Saint puppy.

I finally filled the pepper shakers. No more pinching it from the tub & then **OOPS** touching our noses. HAHA!!!


We tried a new recipe for pancakes..... RYE pancakes. Oh yummy!

I'm hoping to get back to blogging more. I'm aiming for at least once a week for now, so if I do that, expect longer picture-heavy posts. I hope you've enjoyed this one!