Easter...

He is risen...

Noodles-

A fun recipe I found years ago. I have been trying to figure out ways to use up my eggs and I think this is a good use!

                                                           


                                                            Noodles

Ingredients:

8 cups all purpose flour
1 dozen eggs


Measure flour into a large bowl

Break eggs into another bowl and whisk, just enough to mix yolks and whites together

Using a fork to combine, add the eggs to the flour

If the flour seems too dry, add another egg

Knead until smooth.  If sticky, add more flour

Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Roll into a thin circle.

Let air dry for several hours. Cut dough into 1 inch strips.

Spread a single layer of cut noodles onto wax paper and let air dry until all of the moisture is gone.

Store in an air tight container.


I have a couple of recipes using these noodles that I will post in the next few days.

Enjoy~

Good Friday

It is Good Friday.

Praise the Lord...

Maundy Thursday

If your life has been anything like mine, you have run into a few Judases. Luckily, the other disciples who fill our moments outnumber any Judas that may stumble into our lives. Holy Week has always weighed heavy on my heart. The love, the betrayal, the grace and the abounding comfort that is found in the arms of the Lord humbles me completely.

Maundy Thursday is also about service-the washing of the feet, the breaking of the bread and the drinking of the wine. I am focusing on Judas this year because I am dealing with a Judas right now. Still pretending to be a solid friend, yet betraying me at every opportunity they can. I don't think any silver is  changing hands- they are doing it for free~for fun...

                                     Matthew 26:19-30


And the disciples did as Jesus had appointed them; and they made ready the passover.

Now when the even was come, he sat down with the twelve.

And as they did eat, he said, Verily I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me.

And they were exceeding sorrowful, and began every one of them to say unto him, Lord is it I?

And he answered and said He that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, the same shall betray me. 

The Son of man goeth as it is written of him: but woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! it had been good for that man if he had not been born. 

Then Judas, which betrayed him, answered and said, Master, is it I? He said unto him, Thou hast said.


(You can absorb more details of the Last Supper and the betrayal of Judas in other areas of scripture (Luke 22:47-53, John 13: 21-30, Mark 14: 18-21) and others? I am not a scholar of scripture.)

I wish you a blessed Holy Week. May your life be free of the Judases of the world and overflowing with those disciples who love and care for you and will never betray you- no matter how much silver is promised to them...

More Comfrey...

So yesterday, I kind of teased you with eating comfrey and that it tastes like a vegetable that you already eat and enjoy...have you figured it out yet? YES, you are right! It is spinach. It is said that the first leaves in spring can be cooked and eaten just like spinach. The leaves are hairy, but the hair disappears after cooking.

As the season goes on, you can cook the older leaves in the same manner, but you have to cook them in many changes of water because they are bitter and the boiling off in many changes of water takes most of the bitterness away. I am going to be trying both the new leaves and the older leaves this spring and summer. I am SO looking forward to it!

As far as medicinal uses for comfrey, there are a few. The part that has the most properties for healing is the root of the plant, but you can do some things with the leaves in the area of medicinal uses. Using the root, a powder is made. There are several steps to this process and I would rather show you than tell you. Basically, it is this powder that you rub on wounds that won't stop bleeding (not deep or gaping wounds)-this process leaves no scars and heals faster than left without the comfrey powder.

There is also a use for the powder in simmering it in water and ingesting it. This is said to help digestive problems, diarrhea, ulcers, coughs, abscesses, bleeding gums, body wash, a poultice for bruises, boils, bee stings, poison ivy, sprains, pains and arthritis.

You could also mix the powder with the dried leaves to make tea. There is so much to experiment with this summer!

If you have any other information or knowledge on this all around power plant, please let me know!

Best~

Do You Comfrey?

As we took down the fencing and scoured the fresh earth that had been covered by years of debris, we found a beautiful little bunch of leaves. I mean beautiful. They were growing next to an ancient bittersweet bush. We managed to save them both. The question always rattled around in my head- "What kind of plant is this AND is it helpful to humans?" I certainly didn't want any poisonous plants around the farm. Between the children and the animals, that was out of the question. I asked my mom. She relayed a story about my grandparents planting Jerusalem artichokes or Jerusalem sage there. She could not remember anything else, other than Otis Dow had brought the plant to them.

Flash forward eight years. This past fall, there was a stunning picture of a plant on a blog I was reading. I got so excited to FINALLY figure out my secret plant! COMFREY! I started researching it's uses and found benefits  when taking comfrey internally and also using it externally.

The first thing I will be doing with my comfrey this year is making tea with the leaves. I am planning on harvesting both new and old leaves from the plant, putting them in my dehydrator and dehy-ing them. Then I will break up the dried leaves and store them in an airtight container until I am ready to use. Two things I have learned in the making of teas. The newer leaves make a weaker tea and the older leaves make a stronger tea. I am going to try them both and I will get back to you on that point!

Tomorrow we will talk about comfrey's medicinal values and which kind of vegetable you already eat that tastes like cooked comfrey. Exciting!

Until Then~

Boys, Boys, Boys

I do so desperately love my boys. I have three of my own and two step sons. They range in age from 15-22. My middle son just returned from a tour in Afghanistan and has spent the last two weeks here at home. His real home-here. He breezed in one night, taking us all by surprise (except my eldest who was in on it and picked him up at the airport). It was one of those reverse homecomings...my little boy was finally in my arms again.

As the days have gone by it has given me great hope that he has not completely changed. There is still that happy-go-lucky, vivacious, wild child lurking just under that uniform. It is hard to know how war will effect our young men and women. God bless them for being strong and willing to go and fight for us and the country they love.

As I was sifting through some pictures, I came across a sweet little book that my mother gave me in 2000. You might have it or have run across it yourself. The title is I Am The Mother Of Sons (Poems by Jayne Jaudon Ferrer and illustrated by Lina Levy)

On the inside cover my mother wrote the following inscription:

                   Sarah
               This is you- a wonderful mother of sons. 
               I am so proud of you.
               Merry Christmas 2000
               I Love You, Mom


The author (like me) has three sons and she wrote three different poems-one for each son. They fit so closely into the characteristics of my children, that I want to share the poem she wrote for her middle son. A poem entitled: Carpe Diem. It goes like this:

     You, middle child of mine-
     whose heart do you have?
     (Mine, of course,
     you stole it years ago.)
    But whose are you?
    Affectionate, quick-witted,
    imbued with incessant joie de vivre...
    you stand, stalwart, with arms open wide,
    welcoming each moment of life
    like a long lost friend. 
    I envy your aplomb-
    applaud it-
    and ponder which ancestor's
    congenial gene pool
    deserves credit for your 
    energy level.

God bless the mother's of sons and God bless our sons. With their help, the future of this world is either made or broken. Take care of them and you.

God Bless~

Freezing Eggs- It's Not All It's Cracked Up To Be!

Sorry, I know the title is a bit kooky, but I really have become increasingly more doubtful about things that are on the Internet that people pass off as... "The greatest thing since a pocket on a shirt!" I always attempt to post things that I have tried or I have reliable sources who have tried these things out. Last week I put a question "out there" about ideas on preserving eggs (my first mistake) and then I find myself embroiled in a battle of wits with the unarmed. My research from now on will be performed the old fashioned way-trial and error.

We started this process with a dozen eggs. (Note: as I say "we"~ I am the one with all of the ideas-my husband is the one who carries them out) We needed a baseline and figured that is where we should begin.

First: Crack all of the eggs into a bowl.

Next: Mix (by hand or with a mixer) until just mixed. Don't add a lot of extra air.

Last: Dump mixed eggs into ice cube trays and place in freezer.

The first dozen eggs made 34 egg ice cubes.  3 cubes=1 egg.

From there we expanded to 22 eggs in the 4 ice cube trays that we have. 60 egg cubes. We did not add sugar or salt as many say to do. I read that if you are freezing just the yolks, the thawing process can be difficult and you may not even be able to use them unless you add some salt or sugar to make the yolk more controllable. I am not to the point of separating yolks from whites at this time. If I ever am, you will be the first ones to know! If you ever do, please clue me in!

It took most of the day for the egg cubes to freeze. At one point, I was very impatient and made my husband unmold one tray. They were half frozen and half goop. My advice- Don't be like me. Leave well enough alone. 

If you do need help unmolding, setting the bottom of the tray in hot water for a few seconds should loosen them up. 

We considered adding a little water to the eggs or spraying the tray with a non-stick spray. I think we will continue without it at this point. I sealed this first batch up in freezer bags and will give them a try in the next few days to see if it is worth doing more. 

I came across a fairly reliable egg dehydration blog this morning. Of course, I am not believing anything I see on the Internet! Maybe that is my next step? 

Until next time~

S'mores With A Twist-I Mean With Peeps!

I saw this idea the other day and absolutely loved it, but I thought- "How can I tailor this to my family and the way we do things around the campfire?"

The example I saw had one Peep, one whole graham cracker and one of those small, individually wrapped chocolate bars. It was all sealed in an individual package. Ready to go. Adorable! I just know that when I am at camp and there is a fire blazing, the less packaging the better. I also know that no one in my family eats just one s'more. So, I packaged up bags of three s'mores. That equals three Peeps, three whole graham crackers, and a regular sized bar of chocolate. We always split the chocolate bars into thirds in my family- the ratio works out better.

I packaged up what you see in the picture above and have put the packages in my "up to camp box." I anxiously await giving these a try. I might just have to hit the stores after Easter and grab the Peeps on clearance! We also have a friend who works at the Peeps factory in Pennsylvania-we could be on to a GOOD thing!

Have you done this before? I would love to hear about it!

Enjoy~

Seafood Withdraw

I am slowly getting used to my withdraw from seafood. My favorite fish store (EVER) has locked it's doors and I feel so abandoned and all alone. I am seriously craving tonight...I think I need to find a new dealer and get my fix!

Maybe crabmeat- then I can make my famous Boothbay Harbor Crab Cakes from Marjorie Standish's "Cooking Down East" cookbook. They are SO YUMMY!!! If you like crab cakes-give these a go.

Enjoy~


                                             Boothbay Harbor Crab Cakes

1 1/2 cups crabmeat                                1/4 cup melted butter
3 eggs, separated                                       2 tsp lemon juice
1 cup cracker crumbs                                1 tsp minced green pepper
1/2 tsp salt                                                 1 tsp minced celery
Dash of pepper

Mix crabmeat, beaten egg yolks, crumbs, melted butter and all seasonings. Blend thoroughly. Fold in stiffly beaten egg whites. Turn mixture into into 4 well-greased custard cups. Set them in a pan of hot water and bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes. Unmold.

Manly Men

Evidently, there was a study done in Spain (I could be getting all of the facts wrong, but that is not the point of this rant) You can read it here:

www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/01/130130082258.htm

The study suggested that men who perform traditionally female roles around the house have less sex.

That got me to thinking. Considering how my husband performs many traditionally "female roles" around the house and gets lucky every day-at least once, could this be based in reality? Maybe it is because he does these tasks dressed in black, complete with his 1911 strapped to his hip? What do you think?

How can this be???

Then I started thinking about all the women I know who have started or completed the pussification process on their husbands, boyfriends, sons. I truly do fear for -not only my country- but for the human race. There should not be any lines drawn. We should all work together to make our bug out bags, to prepare long term storage, to garden and produce our own food. Why would we not work together to make our families run smoothly?

I am so tired of watching good men be taken and stripped down to being a possession of their wives, who dress them, tell them what to do and emasculate them in front of the world. I simply don't understand...

Publication Confusion

So, I received a catalog in the mail today and it started me wondering.

It is a publication that specializes in organic gardening. I am not sold completely on my garden being organic. I have problems with the different definitions of organic for one thing, and for another, I am unsure if I have enough life left in me to be so darn particular.

As I waited for my son in the parking lot, I thumbed through the pages (ever curious as I am) and realized fairly quickly that I am in over my head. I knew you could order ladybugs for celebratory occasions and hatch praying mantis sacs in the name of education. I did not know that I could order maggots and various other parasites through the mail.

It got me thinking, does this bother anyone else? We are mailing parasites via USPS and other modes of transportation from one part of the country to the other. I'm thinking about the delicate balance of nature and how the "It's not nice to fool Mother Nature" commercial from my childhood still haunts me today.

I have to see everything I do here on the farm through my grandparent's eyes. I try to imaging telling them that we can order maggots and ladybugs through the mail and they will help in our quest to improve our garden. I can see and hear my Grandfather as he leans back in his chair and softly says, "Sarah Elizabeth, I'll be damned if any pests are coming onto this piece of property from anywhere but here. God will provide us with what we need. That is all just a bunch of hog wash." Then he would laugh and give me a lesson on fools who can be tricked into buying anything if it is wrapped in a pretty package.

I guess I leave it up to you. What kinds of imports do you allow into your little piece of heaven? I think it would be kind of cool to get little parasites in the mail, but it feels extremely dangerous to me.

What say you?

R U Dirty?

Time for Sample's Farm to get to making soap before the spring thaw tomorrow! I have a new box of clays and liquids as well as another huge box of fragrances-both essential oils and labs. I would love to know what you are working on in the world of soap. My spirulina and callendula are almost ready!

Until next time~
May all of your soaps have lather and be moisturizing to the bone!

Cauliflower and Broccoli Au Gratin- DEHY Style

dehydrated cauliflower and broccoli

Do not panic! The cauliflower does turn brown after it has been dehydrated. It is a natural occurrence when you extract the liquid from inside.  It definitely is the food that changes the most in the way of looks that we have dealt with so far in our adventure with dehydration. When cauliflower is re hydrated it comes back to a sparkling white and simply delightful!

All I can say about this recipe is DELISH!



1 cup broccoli
1 cup cauliflower
1 can cheddar cheese soup
An equal amount milk (1 can full)
1 tbs bacon bits
1 1/2 tsp season salt

Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil
Put in cauliflower and broccoli
Allow to re hydrate in the boiling water for 15 min
Drain

In a bowl put can soup, milk, bacon bits and season salt
Heat in microwave just enough to allow the ingredients to blend together

Combine cheese mixture and re hydrated vegetables in casserole dish
Cover and bake for 30 min

Meatloaf-With A Dash Of TVP & DEHY

My favorite all time food is meatloaf. It always has been. On my visits home from college, it was always on my list of wants and when there is a question mark as to what we are going to fill in for dinner, my first suggestion is always...meatloaf.

On the farm, we have added a new twist on things. Beef flavored tvp (textured vegetable protein) mixed with the meat mixture which helps stretch our food out. This meatloaf also has less fat and more protein without sacrificing any taste-all because of the tvp!

Feeling like making this right now, just thinking about it!




                                                Meatloaf Plus TVP

1 lb hamburg
1 lb  sweet Italian sausage
1 cup beef tvp
1/4 cup dehydrated peppers
1/4-1/2 c dehydrated onion
2-3 tbs yellow mustard
3-4 tbs ketchup
1 egg
sprinkle of Italian seasoning



Re hydrate tvp in 1 cup boiling water for 15 min stirring occasionally

Chop peppers and onions to desired size Re hydrate with boiling water for 15 min stirring occasionally

Combine rest of ingredients

Drain off any excess water from tvp and veggies

Add to other ingredients

Squish together well with hands

Place in loaf pan

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour

Drain fat occasionally

Remove from oven-let stand 15 min

Enjoy~

Solitude

 
                                               Solitude

Ella  Wheeler Wilcox  (1855-1919)


Laugh and the world laughs with you;
     Weep and you weep alone. 
For the sad old earth must borrow its mirth,
     But has trouble enough of its own.
Sing, and the hills will answer;
     Sigh, it is lost on the air.
The echoes bound to a joyful sound,
     But shrink from voicing care.

Rejoice, and men will seek you;
     Grieve and they turn and go.
They want full measure of all your pleasure,
     But they do not need your woe.
Be glad, and your friends are many;
     Be sad and you lose them all.
There are none to decline your nectared wine,
     But alone you must drink life's gall.

Feast, and your halls are crowded;
     Fast, and the world goes by.
Succeed and give, and it helps you live,
     But no man can help you die.
There is room in the halls of pleasure
     For a long and lordly train,
But one by one we must all file on
    Through the narrow aisles of pain.

A Lesson To Think About

Came across this today on FB. Haven't heard it for a long time but these past few weeks I have been dealing with some very hurtful issues and I think the timing is right.  I would give anything to talk with my grandmother again, I know I can't but I think this is what she would say. I miss her...

Enjoy and God Bless~

Grandmother says, " Carrots, eggs or coffee. Which are you?"

A young woman went to her grandmother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her. She didn't know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up. She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed as though once one problem was solved another would arise.

Her grandmother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water. In the first  she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs and the last she put ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil without saying a word. 

After about 20 minutes she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl. Turning to her granddaughter she asked her, " Tell me, what do you see?"

"Carrots, eggs and coffee," the granddaughter replied.

Grandmother pulled her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noticed they got soft. The grandmother then asked her to break the egg open. The granddaughter pulled off the shell and noticed the hard boiled egg. 

Finally the grandmother asked her to sip the coffee.  The granddaughter smiled and tasted it's rich aroma. The granddaughter then asked, "What is the point, Grandmother?" 

Her grandmother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity-boiling water. Each reacted differently. 

The carrot went in strong, hard and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the boiling water it  softened and became weak. The egg had been fragile. It's thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior. After sitting in the boiling water, it's insides became hardened.

The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After they were in the boiling water they had changed the water.

"Which are you?" she asked her granddaughter. "When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?"

Think of that...

Am I the carrot that seems strong but with pain and adversity do I wilt and become soft and lose my strength?

Am I the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with the heat? Did I have a fluid spirit but after a death, break up, financial hardship or some other trial, have I become hard and stiff? Does my shell look the same on the outside but on the inside I am bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and a hardened heart?

OR, am I a coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot water- the very circumstance that  brings the pain. When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavor. If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst you get better and change the situation around you.

When the hours are the darkest and the trials are their greatest do you elevate to a different level?

Author Unknown

A Worldwide Sensation!

I get SO excited when I check on my blog stats! I don't check to see how many people are reading it (although there are a lot of you out there-THANK YOU) I like to keep an eye on the map as it changes from white to green. When a country turns green on the map, it means that someone in that country visited my blog. I was reading down through the list of all time visitors and I am wondering how accurate it is.

If you are reading this and the country you are in when you are reading it is not listed below, would you please add your country's name to the comment section? Again, thank you so much for stopping by, sending me emails and encouraging me!

Countries who have appeared on the map showing they have read my blog.....

United States
Canada
Germany
United Kingdom
France
Ukraine
China
United Arab Emirates
Indonesia
Kenya
Kazakhstan
Russia
Malaysia
Romania
Turkey

Around the world in 90 blogs- This could be the start of something fantastic!

Thank you all~

Picking Up Sticks (And Other Broken Things)

I spent Sunday afternoon out in my yard. The farm is still fairly quiet. The cardinals are coming back in droves. We have had two pairs throughout winter, but I believe they have invited relatives to stay with them. Fine by me. The distinct call they use makes me smile. I also witnessed six geese fly very low over our farm pond. It is not free of ice yet, but they seem to be keeping a very close eye on it's progress. The sun was on my face and the snow was melting right in front of my eyes. It was becoming muddier and muddier, but I do enjoy mud!

I was so thrilled to finally be out. A certain kind of freedom and power stirs in me as I venture out to do one of my least favorite jobs on the farm. Pick up sticks. We are surrounded by old, gigantic oak trees, an ash tree and a creepy old black cherry tree. Whether it was a calm winter or a more ferocious one, the limbs continue to break off and fall to the ground. They all need to be removed before I can start my season of mowing and if I wait any longer I will be consumed by the need to plant. So...Sunday was to be "pick up sticks" day.

I have been going through some major life situations and I started equating my task at hand with the sticks. Those giant oak limbs are what I am facing now. I struggle to get them to the pile. They are bulky and make my muscles sore the next day. I'm sure they will take longer to burn in the fire.

Then there are the sticks from the black cherry tree. They are long an gnarly. They get wrapped up in each other and untangling them is hardly worth the effort. There are not usually many of these limbs but they are not much fun to deal with. I think of them as people in my community who like to gossip and spread non truths about me- who are filled with the wrong information and get it all tangled up with the truth.

Lastly is the ash tree. Why it won't just die, I don't know. It litters truckloads of small, crumbling branches, sticks and twigs all over the ground beneath. To pick up one stick makes four or five little pieces. The easiest to lift but the most difficult to contain. I view them as life's irritating little nuisances. Always there, no big deal, same thing tomorrow.

You can't leave sticks lying on the ground. They will create a hazard. You must pick them up-one by one- and deal with them. Just like every single little problem in your life.

May all your troubles be small and may all of your yard work be painless...

Beans and Rice Soup- DE-HY Style

clockwise:dehydrated potatoes, peppers, celery, carrots, peas, onions

If you don't have rice and beans in your stockpile, please get on that!

Here is another recipe using your dehydrated food storage and your crock pot. Simply place all of the ingredients into crock pot. Give it a little stir. Put the lid on and in 6-8 hours-voila! Soup!


Start by putting the following in the crock pot first and giving a stir before adding the rest of the ingredients.

1/4 cup beef bouillon
1/4 cup tomato powder
6 cups water

Then add:

3/4 cup precooked dry beans (navy, pinto, kidney)
1/2 cup long grain rice
1 T barley
1 T dehy carrot dices
1 T cornmeal
1/8 cup dehy potato dices
1 T dehy peas
2 tsp dehy onion flakes
1 T dehy pepper dices
1 T dehy celery

You never want to go off and leave your dehydrated food in the crock pot for the day. It may need water added as the cooking process continues and you must be there to replenish it. Going off and leaving it could result in a completely ruined meal, wasted food and even injury or damage.

Happy Eating!

Home From Afghanistan!

My blog was going to be another recipe, BUT, I got the surprise of my life tonight and had to share. My middle son, Patrick, returned home from Afghanistan last month and FINALLY got home to visit. I am without words and so incredibly happy!!!

Cream Of Potato Soup- DEHY Style

Whether you are out in the bunker preparing for the zombie attack or just dubbing around the kitchen wondering what you could whip up to feed your hungry brood, here is an easy and quick soup made with your dehydrated foods as well as other ingredients you should already have in your stockpile.


                                             Cream of Potato Soup


1/2 cup dried potato dices
1 1/2 teaspoons dried onion
1 T butter powder
1 T flour
1 T chicken bouillon or 1 cube
1/2 cup powdered milk
4-6 cups of water

Measure out all ingredients into your crock pot. Add water. Stir. Put lid on.
Cook for 8 hours keeping an eye on the water level. Remember, the potatoes and other ingredients will be re hydrating and will need enough water to do that.

I hope you enjoy this delicious soup. If you have any ideas for improving it or if you have dehy recipes of your own, please pass them along!

Happy Cooking~

Eggplant-Time to plant...

So here is my confession...I have never eaten eggplant. No-never. BUT, I am a rebel. A stand against all odds kind of gal. I love vegetables. Bring it on!

My heirloom seed collection has allowed me the honor of growing and eating something new. New is good.

I have to get these seeds into the dirt and nurture them along for 8 to 10 weeks before the last frost here in Maine (Zone  5A). The seeds could be planted outdoors 2 weeks after the last frost, but the directions say that the seeds will germinate best when the soil temperature is 60 degrees-and that sure isn't going to happen 2 weeks after our last frost around here!

The packet insert says that there will be 8+ eggplants per plant (per seed). They need a sunny location and the soil should be fertile, well drained and rich in organic matter. Eggplants need calcium so if you have soil mixed with lime, your plants should thrive.

Once outside, place paper collars around the hardy plants to scare off cut worms and always protect small plants from the cold and wind with row covers or protective material.

Water plants regularly and pick the eggplants as soon as they are ready to eat.

I will be sure to harvest all of the seeds from my heirloom eggplants to save and use next year.

PLEASE help me in this first year journey in growing these eggplant heirloom seeds. If you have any hints or ideas-let me know!

Garden On~

Time Out

I haven't missed blogging for a very long time- I wasn't going to start tonight. I was going to write about my new journey with eggplant, but sometimes life takes turns that you can not predict and that take some time to work through.

Today, my family faced a devastating blow. If you are a believer, it would be comforting if you sent along a prayer for healing and strength. We will be fine, but I am not thinking of eggplant today.

I am sure I will be thinking of it tomorrow...

Under Attack- How About You?

So, my family has been under attack these last few days. You can read the whole sorted tale in the link below. Not only is there an issue with the 2nd Amendment in my town, but there also seems to be an issue with the 1st. We are strong hearted and strong headed people. We will weather it. I just wanted to add a different layer to the farm by sharing it with all of you.

It isn't always tulips and tomatoes...sometimes, a few drops of blood and tears help to fertilize the land. Our Founding Fathers knew too well the difficulties of keeping this most beautiful country. I am proud to still be standing up and speaking out. Even if it does evoke a hate crime.

Peace and Love~



http://www.boothbayregister.com/article/sign-defaced-replaced/10735

More Lobster, Anyone?

Yes, lobster is still on my mind. I'm going to post a lobster pie recipe today-again, PLEASE don't write and tell me it is too high in calories, or has too much butter in it. Go find someone who will listen. I just want to eat!

The following link is a great resource for everything lobster.
www.lobsterfrommaine.com/lobster-recipes.aspx

Enjoy~

       
                                                 Lobster Pie

5 pounds of lobster
2 sticks butter
2T lemon juice
3 cups Ritz crackers


Cook lobsters in water until done. Cool. Pick lobster meat and put in a bowl. Melt butter in saucepan. Stir in lemon juice. (It is also yummy to add the tomalley to the butter and lemon juice!) Remove from heat. Crush Ritz crackers and stir them in. This should resemble stuffing. If it is too thick, add a little bit of water until you get the right consistency. Arrange lobster in a baking dish and spoon "stuffing" mixture evenly over the top. Bake at 425 degrees for 10 minutes. Devour!

Advantage:Maine Lobster

Yes, coming from and living in Maine has it's definite disadvantages, but it has also got a whole lot of advantages. The first, and best, advantage? LOBSTER! My Daddy was a lobsterman and I always knew times were hard when we ate lobster day after day. I always longed to be a normal kid with hot dogs or steak on the menu instead of so much lobster. Evidently, I outgrew that!

My very favorite way to make lobsters is the steamed, crack the shell, suck out the leg meat, butter dripping down to your elbows, big old smile on my face way. I treat myself to that a couple of times a year, and by golly, that time is coming close!

 My second favorite way is a bit more refined but not for those who are on any sort of eating regiment. This is going to make your tastebuds kiss you and take you to that "stupid-happy" place that we all have...Lobster Newburg!


                                              Lobster Newburg

2 cups lobster meat cut into medium sized pieces
4 T butter
1 T flour
1 cup cream
2 egg yolks- beaten
1 T lemon juice
1/4 tsp salt

Melt 3 T butter. Add lobster meat and cook slowly on low heat. In another saucepan, melt 1 T butter. Add flour and salt. Add cream. Stir constantly and cook over low heat until thick. Remove from heat and turn into egg yolks. Turn back into pan and return to a low heat. Stir until thickened. Add heated lobster and lemon juice.

More lobster recipes tomorrow!

Step Parenting At It's Best-DINNER!

A blended family is one of the most beautiful things in the world. Accepting children who are not yours biologically and having them accept you back is a true gift from God. It isn't just the accepting, it is the true love and devotion that grows over time. The trust that is built as time passes.

I grew up in a very traditional family structure. A mom and a dad, a dog, Christmas, Easter, birthdays, trips. For all of the difficulties that happened throughout my young life, my parents always did their best. I always wanted that picture for the children I would eventually have. I wanted a two parent home with happy children, a big yard, a great job...oh wait, that's what I have- after many roadblocks, speed bumps and "dips" (literally and figuratively).

None of the bad matters-this is all about the good. That is the "Life Is Very Good" mantra I am working on each and every day. I am now married to the man of my dreams who came into my three son family with his two sons. One nice thing was they all attended the same school and knew each other. Another good thing was they liked each other! Yeah! We were very fortunate in that respect.

Raising five sons who only span seven years in total between them was a wild ride. It still is...but we now have only two at home and it feels a bit more mellow. Of course, we have been at this a while.

The number one reason for success? Dinnertime. Our dinner routine started out as a business model. It was a time to figure out who had what for homework, if there were any permission slips in need of signing, any projects coming up requiring poster board? You know those kinds of down and dirty questions. When asking the boys about their days at school, the information given was pathetic at best. So, we transformed our routine.

Yes, we still needed to know all of that other boring stuff, but the method of delivery changed. Each boy had to start at the beginning of his day and revisit every class-in order- detailing what was taught, discussed, and expected. This continues all the way to the end of his day. We wanted details as small as what they had for lunch and who they sat with. It was in this setting that we found out the Pledge of Allegiance was "up to the discretion of the individual teachers." NOPE. That didn't fly. My husband went to the school and demanded that policy was changed. Overnight- it was changed.

Our dinners can last upwards of two hours now. The two boys at home are in high school and we can take tangents in their daily wrap-up that would make your head spin. It is a wonderful way to end the day, it brings all of us so much closer together, it allows us to problem solve as a family and fix things that don't match our family values. Try it- you'll love it!

Got to go!!! Dinner's on~

Bug Back Bag

We have talked a few times about bug out bags. I have shared with you my beginnings and I look forward to hearing about your successes. We are going to think of another scenario now. One that is very near and dear to my heart because it involves trying to get back home in case of an emergency.

I drive over an hour a day for work. My car is all I have as a form of shelter and could be the difference of survival or not. Before we go into specifics of a "car kit", lets take the two giant steps that need to be thought about first. The first is keeping your gas tank filled up with gasoline as well as keeping your car in good repair. If you take care of it, it will take care of you. I am quite guilty of driving to work on fumes, knowing that there are several gas stations strategically placed along the route. What happens if there is a disaster or unforeseen event where the ability to access gas is removed? I have started looking at the 1/2 a tank mark on the gas gauge as empty- that way I always have enough to get home.

The second thing is map out several different routes home. I only have two or three choices and unfortunately, there are many bridges that need to still be in working order for me to be able to have those two or three choices. I know that I may not get home, but instead travel to a second location until the crisis is over. See how many different ways home you can think of and keep those alternate routes at the ready in your mind in case you ever need them.

Now, the car kit is going to be fairly straight forward. It will contain things that you may need if stranded and you are using your car as a shelter until help can get to you. I picture all of those cars scattered and stranded on that highway during our last blizzard. Why they were out in the mess was my first thought, but then I began to think, I hope they had car kits!

Below is a list of what I have in my car kit:

***food and water
***emergency reflective blanket
***hand and feet warmers
***light sticks, flashlight
***fix a flat
***first aid kit
***knife

That isn't much, I know. Other people suggest; extra clothes, tire chains, extra fan belts, hoses and fuses, basic tools, extra gas and cans of oil. Fill your car up with whatever you think you would need and go from there. (I am not apt to replace my fan belt as I'm not sure where I would even begin that process).

Again, this is to get you thinking about another aspect of your life and being prepared in order to get back home to where you are super prepared!

Let me know if you have any more ideas for what should go in a car kit.

Happy Prepping~

Straw Bale Method

So, I am sure that I am not the only one...COME ON SPRING!!!


I found the coolest idea today on Old World Garden Farm's Site. They call it "the straw bale method". I'm not sure if there is another name for them out there, but I am definitely trying this way of growing my cucumbers, zucchini and summer squash this summer.

Directions for the straw bale method are as follows:

Dig out 3- 12" deep and 12" in diameter holes in each bale. In each hole put topsoil and compost mix. Plant cukes, zucchini or summer squash in the holes. Finish off covering the roots with soil.

This method is said to work well for many reasons. First, the straw holds in the moisture. We know how important that is in the health of their root systems. It also allows the plants to grow off of the ground and as the plants grow, the bales provide support for the lengthening of the vines and fruit that is growing on them.

I was concerned that since you can only use the straw for one growing season, I would be wasting money, but at $5.00 a bale, I think it would be money well spent. I can take the bales apart and use them as crop cover or some other sort of mulch through the winter.

Have you ever tried this method of planting? Can you think of anything that would improve it?

I'll keep you posted!

Happy Gardening~

To Be Continued...

I am taking a step away from my blog tonight. I need to be thinking about some family matters. If you know me at all, you know that family is my first and only priority. Happy first day of March!!!

God Bless~