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.

Life Lately...

I wasn't sure what to title this post, but it's been several months in the making. We've been so busy around here lately, so many new things, so many changes. The end of last summer, I took on a very part time job. I also decided that when my daycare girl went to school, I would no longer be watching children on a long-term/permanent basis. School began the end of August & my hours at my job increased. In November I began another rep job. December brought an unpaid promotion to Hubba, where he took over the department in which I was working. Policy states that family cannot work directly for each other, so I put in my notice, and as of now, I am just working my rep jobs.

This is totally ok, though, as we also decided to put our house on the market. Repairing, redecorating & renovating a house to stage for market is a full-plus-overtime job, and it can be very overwhelming. By leaving my job, I have freed up 20 hours of my week. The kids are so happy to have me home again, too. It was surprising that even my teenage boy was unhappy with me working. He dealt with it, because he is old enough to understand, but he thinks me not working there anymore is like sliced bread, LOL.

I've been logging some of our progress on facebook, and you can view the pictures here.

Christmas was an amazing time. We spent it, just the 5 of us, at home. The boys were amazingly spoiled. We got a Wii for the family & 2 of the boys got a PSP & a Nintendo DS Lite. Keenan celebrated his birthday a week ago, & he also got a DS for his birthday.

This past Saturday I went to a freezer cooking class, aka Once-a-month-cooking (OAMC). Everyone I told about the class ahead of time laughed at me. Apparently I don't need cooking classes. I know I don't need it, but I had this fluky moment of "I WANT to do this." It was my first Saturday as a "free woman." I used the class for many reasons- weaning off of having something to do on Saturday, fellowship with like-minded people but mainly for inspiration. See, I love OAMC, but hadn't done it in a while. Knowing the overwhelming things happening in our lives right now, I went for inspiration. We need freezer meals right now. We need to know that there are meals ready for us just as quickly as pizza would arrive on our doorstep.

Sure enough, the inspiring part kicked in, and this past Tuesday I added 16 family meals to the freezer, along with 9 individual meals for Hubba to take to work. I love opening the freezer & seeing so many wonderful options in there. I love opening the freezer & thinking- tonight we will NOT order pizza.

So now I've freed up a couple of things to help with our transition- 20 hours a week & a few meals for the super busy days. We have so much to do. Some days I walk around in circles, because I don't know where to begin that day. One of our biggest issues is storage. When staging a house, you can't have boxes stacked everywhere. 2 of the storage properties I've called are full, and another hasn't returned my phone calls. Another place I was looking into, I found out, has horse stalls (more or less), so there's no privacy or security (yeah I thought "HUH?" too!). It's time to think outside the box on this one, and I have a couple plans.

So that's what's going on here in a very.small.nutshell. I don't have a lot of time, so I'll sign off with this for now, and I hope to "see" you all soon!

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).

This Christmas....

Today I am an emotional wreck. There are many loved ones who are suffering this Christmas season. I am so sad that so many people are hurting today and during the season of Christ & the beginning of His sacrificial life. We've (my family & I) had such a rough year & I've actually been "in the spirit." After the year we've had, this is the first time this year I've REALLY had something to look forward to. Something big- family, food, giving. The only thing missing are those we've lost, and those we're not near right now.

Then today comes & I keep welling up in tears. It dawned on me a few minutes ago why. I'm excited about Christmas this year, but at the same rate, I feel bad because I know my parents are having a hard time, and at the same time, I'm homesick today. I miss our families.

This year, we've tried to do for others. We've plucked paper angels off the trees at the stores in hopes that a child with little or nothing would smile on Christmas morning. We took food on Thanksgiving to an exchange student (that is now here on a work visa) from Brazil. He hasn't been home, nor has he seen his family in almost 2 years. We're planning on taking him breakfast on Christmas morning as well.

I wish everyone could feel the Joy I have had in my heart, yet I wish the roller coaster I'm on would come to a stop, so that *I* can be Joyful again. I'm praying for those that are hurting.

I pray that all of you that read this, for all those that we love- you have a very blessed Christmas. Know that I am praying for you.

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!?!?!

Menu 12/6-11

I'm finally getting back here to blog a little. This past week has found me near invalid stage. I managed to do something to my back, though I don't know what. All I know is Sunday night it began hurting. By late Monday morning I was in tears over the pain. I tried stretching, aleve, excedrin, hot packs, hot baths, Tiger Balm, etc. Tuesday found me in not AS MUCH pain. I wasn't in tears over it. We went grocery shopping on Wednesday & I knew it was bad. I'm walking across the parking lot & this little old lady zoomed right by. No, I'm not kidding!

By Friday I was in the urgent care, knowing if I didn't get some relief, there was no way I could work on Saturday. I was prescribed flexeril & pain meds and sent off with a note to keep me from working on Saturday. Flexeril is now my new BFF. Except that second F part. I'm still a bit tense today, but I'm not in absolute pain.

The past few days I've found myself working on sit-down stuff- menu planning, reading, inventory lists, grocery lists, etc. It's been nice, but I have to tell you sit-down work is NOT my cuppa tea! I'm ready to get up & go again....

Alas, that will be a few more days :-(

So here's the menu. Last night we had spaghetti. It was the first time in a week I was able to actually cook dinner. It was rather uncomfortable, but it needed doing! The first few days are relatively easy fix meals or meals the kids can help with.

Menu 12/6-11

Monday- Cowboy beans & cornbread

*pull roast for tomorrow

Tuesday- Roast & taters, green beans a'la crockpot

*Pull chicken to thaw

Wednesday- Filipino Chicken Adobo, rice, peas

*soak beans for tomorrow, pull meat to thaw

Thursday- Korean style pork, white rice, Kongjaban

*Pull cubed steak & hoagie rolls to thaw

Friday- Marlboro Man sandwiches, baked potato wedges, fruit tray

*Pull liver & steak to thaw

Saturday- Steak (For Hubba & Keenan), liver & onions, mashed potatoes, corn

***

Cinnamon Sage Honey

Remember the Cinnamon Honey I posted recently? I found that sage is a GREAT decongestant & dries up the nasal passages. So I added some sage to the mixture & WOW!!! It worked so well.

The measurements I devised are:

4 parts honey, 1 part ground cinnamon & 1/2 part sage.

Same dosage as last time- 1 teaspoon up to 3 times a day.

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.

Cinnamon Honey

A few days ago I could feel a cold coming on & by chance, I stumbled across a recipe for cinnamon honey. It is so tasty (like candy). I have to warn you, the concoction is very gritty, and it’s so thick, you need a chug of water to help get it down. You can also mix it in a small glass of water & drink it that way. I’ve just been in such a rush to get things done that I’ve been eating it off the spoon, followed by water.

Enjoy!!!

Cinnamon Honey

1 part ground cinnamon

4 parts honey (raw & unfiltered from a local source is beat)

Mix well. Take a teaspoonful 3X a day at the first sign of a cold.

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.

Toothpaste

Toothpaste

2 T coconut oil
3T baking soda (sifted)
1 T xylitol (birch based, sifted)
2 capfuls of peppermint oil (or about 1/2 t)

Blend all ingredients well using a fork. Store in an airtight container, dipping your toothbrush in to use.

Each ingredient serves a purpose as follows:

• Coconut oil not only gives the toothpaste a paste quality, it is also a natural anti-bacterial.
• Baking soda is a mild abrasive & also combats odors naturally.
• Xylitol gives the paste a sweeter taste, as the baking soda is extremely salty tasting. It has a cooling taste to it, making your mouth feel cool & fresh. The xylitol is also excellent for dental health.
  
• Peppermint oil (you can use other oils if desired) gives your mouth a clean minty feel & taste.