Creamy Tomato Soup

• 4 tablespoons coconut oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 tablespoons whole wheat pastry flour
• 2 28-oz. can crushed tomatoes
• 3 cups beef bone broth
• 1 cup heavy cream
• Salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until soft, about 2 minutes. Add flour & stir to blend.

Add undrained tomatoes and broth to saucepan. Turn heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Stir constantly until slightly thickened.

Transfer soup to a blender in batches and puree until smooth. Return soup to pan, stir in cream and cook over low heat, until heated through. Do not bring soup back to a boil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

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The peanut gallery ratings on a scale of 1-10, 10 being da-bomb-diggety:

• Hubba gave it a 8-9
• 14 year old said 10
• 11 year old said 9.9
• 7 year old just scrunched up his nose & tried not to swallow it (but I'm used to that!!!)
• Mom gives it an 8.5

Creamy Vodka Sauce

I found a recipe online that I had to seriously tweak, because I only had certain things. Not to mention, we enjoy flavour, so I had to add in all the herbs & spices you see below. By the time I was done, none of the measurements of the original recipe were the same, and the ingredients list had doubled. It's not a quick-cook recipe, but hands on time is quick. I opened & prepped everything at the beginning, so all I had to do was add, add, add at each interval. BOY was it DELIGHTFUL!!!



1 small onion, diced
1 stick butter
1/2 c vodka
1 t garlic powder
1/2 t dried basil
2 15-oz cans crushed tomatoes
12 oz cream
1 bay leaf
Salt & pepper to taste

Heat butter in small stockpot until melted & just starting to sizzle. Add onion. Cook over medium heat until the mixture JUST begins to look a caramel colour, about 10 minutes, stirring 2-3 times. Add vodka, garlic powder, basil, & cook over medium another 10 minutes, again, stirring a few times. Add tomatoes & bay leaf. Continue cooking over medium low heat, stirring often to prevent sticking, 30 minutes. Finally add cream, salt & pepper, and continue cooking 30 minutes, stirring often.


We added tortellini & meatballs to ours. My meatballs were homemade & frozen, so I added those about 10 minutes after I added the cream, turning the heat back to medium. At the last 5 minutes, I added the frozen tortellini & turned the heat to med-high.

Pumpkin Farina

1 cup farina
2 cups milk (or non-dairy alternative)
2 cups water
1/4 can pumpkin (about 4 oz)
1/2 t cinnamon
2-4 T sweetener (suit to taste)

Bring water & milk to a boil. Whisk in farina reducing heat to medium-low. Whisk in the remaining ingredients. Simmer about 40 minutes or until desired thickness whisking often. If your farina gets too thick, you can add more liquid.

The peanut gallery said this is the "perfect" amount of pumpkin. We made pumpkin rice cereal once & the pumpkin was overkill. They all drooled & asked for 2nds. The peanut gallery consists of 3 boys ages 14, 10 & 7.

Creamy Fruit Dip

8oz cream cheese, kefir cheese or labneh (yoghurt cheese), at room temperature
1/3 c sour cream, plain yoghurt or creme fraiche, at room temperature
2-4 T raw honey or agave nectar
1 t vanilla extract

Add cream cheese, sour cream & vanilla to stand mixer. Use the whisk attachment to blend until well-combined. Drizzle in your honey or agave. While running the mixer, blend until light & fluffy. Store in refrigerator. This is good on sweet crackers & served with fruit for dipping.

Ranch Dressing/Dip

1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup buttermilk or dairy kefir
1/2 cup sour cream, crème fraiche or plain yoghurt
2 T minced onion
1/2 t dried oregano
1 t dried parsley
1/2-1 clove minced garlic
1/4 t paprika
1/8 t cayenne pepper
1/4 t each salt & pepper or to taste

Combine all ingredients. Mix well. Leave at room temperature 7 hours (If you've already fermented your mayo, skip this step). Chill before serving (If you fermented your mayo, and you are not leaving at room temp for 7 hours, be sure to chill for at least 2 hours to allow the flavours to mingle).

Roasted Brussel Sprouts

4-6 slices bacon
1 pound sprouts, ends cut off & halved
1 medium onion, diced
3T oil (butter, coconut oil, rice bran oil, olive oil, etc)
1/2-1 t garlic powder
Salt & pepper to taste

Fry onions & bacon til crisp & browned oil (I used CO). Add salt, pepper & garlic powder, toss with halved brussel sprouts, mix to coat the sprouts in oil & spices. Roast til browned.

I baked mine 45m at 350º

My oldest son said these taste like egg roll filling. This past Thanksgiving was the first year I was able to get him to actually EAT, not one, but 2 servings of them. Each year past, I've been able to feed a single taste to a scrunched up nosed face.

Can you say SCORE!?!?!

Glazed Sugar & Rosemary Pork Loin

Mix together

1/4 c brown sugar
1 t dried rosemary
1/4 t nutmeg
1 T apple cider vinegar
salt & pepper to taste

Rub all over a large pork loin (mine was probably 3-4 pounds). Set crockpot to low & cook 7-8 hours.

Coconut Curry Rice with Butternut Squash

1 quart bone broth (chicken or rabbit, preferably)
2 cups rice
1/2 cup butternut squash puree
1/2 cup coconut milk
1/2 t curry powder

Bring stock to a boil. Add rice, curry powder, puree & coconut milk, lower heat & cover. Cook 45 minutes (20 minutes if you're using white rice), stirring occasionally.

Tuesday Twister

I am finally getting around to posting a Tuesday Twister, hosted by Wardeh at GNOWFGLINS.

After a rough year & a very rough summer, I jumped in the kitchen, after the whole family came down with a stomach bug & decided I HAD to get back on the wagon. And.stay.there.

On Thursday I got my act together & did water kefir, dairy kefir & kombucha.

We've also fallen in love with the egg drink. It's made the table regularly in an effort to cram as many nutrients in as possible. I've also added trace minerals, powdered vitamins & powdered greens to it, to pack more of a punch.

Yesterday was stuffed jalapenos for the freezer (after we snacked on a few).

A few other things we've worked on the past few days:

I cut up 2 heads of red cabbage. I pulled out 8 cups to make a double batch of coleslaw. Coleslaw is a semi-rare treat around here. This was SO pretty going together!!




The rest was layered in a 9x13 pan with salt & whey for kraut.



I also decided to try escabeche after seeing this recipe. It went into cold storage yesterday. It smells absolutely YUMMY! I'm looking forward to trying it! Again, this was so colourful & pretty!




Dinners started out bland after being sick. Chicken & rice; beef short ribs, mashed potatoes & watermelon (we've had a LOT of watermelon this past week to help combat dehydration); and yesterday we were able to eat spaghetti. I still have some cheats in my kitchen until my energy returns, but as it does, those cheats slowly will be weaned away again. Thankfully those cheats are organic, HFCS-free, natural, etc.

And totally off topic & not in the kitchen, I couldn't resist showing you this picture. We are loving this little critter.

Stuffed Jalapenos 2

1 pound jalapenos, cut long in half, seeds & membranes removed
1 1/2 blocks cream cheese (12 oz)
1 12oz pkg bacon, fried to a crisp & cut into tiny pieces, cooled
1 cup shredded cheddar
1 t each onion powder, garlic powder

Mix together everything except the peppers. Stuff each pepper half with the mixture & line up on a baking sheet (with sides) close together. Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes or until cheeses are melted & they are toasty brown.

Addictive!!! There, you've been warned.

Egg drink

I have to share a recipe I saw on the web (I actually just got the ingredient list & had to come up with my own measurements, as well as some tweaks). I'll also let you know some additions we've tried & liked :D

3 pastured eggs
1/2 t ground cinnamon
2 T honey
2 T coconut oil or butter, or mix & match
1 cup boiling water (also, see notes following)

Bring to a whirl in blender all but boiling water. After all ingredients are well incorporated & frothy, slowly add boiling water while blender is running. Serve warm.

To serve cold, add about 1/2 cup boiling water instead of the full cup. After blending the water in, add 8 large ice cubes, & continue blending until mix is chilled & ice cubes are blended.

We liked this with 2 bananas added with the first 4 ingredients.

I have many more plans for this recipe as well!!!

Yesterday I rocked the kitchen along....

As well as recuperation would allow!!

I rinsed & fed my cold storage water kefir grains....... After severely neglecting them.....


I finally rebatched my water kefir....... after severely neglecting it


I f.i.n.a.l.l.y got around to making a new batch of k-tea.....


.....after SEVERELY neglecting my last batch. I'm so ashamed. No, wait. Nevermind, I'm not ashamed. I think this one is funny!!!


I revamped my dairy kefir grains & hope for dairy kefir later today or tomorrow. These ones weren't TOO severely neglected, thank you very much!

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.

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!!

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!