Jesus Loves Me

Katie Belle singing, 19 months.

Homemade Chicken Stock

I know I have a few vegetarian/vegan friends who read. Hope the following post doesn't gross you out. But to you I say that if there was a way to eat meat, this is the way...I've been buying whole chickens directly from a farmer who lets them roam free, and processes them herself. The meat is delicious and I love knowing that these chickens had a good life. Anyway, I don't know why I haven't done this sooner, but recently I made my own chicken broth for the first time. I roasted a few chickens, and threw the bones in the freezer. Then, I later pulled the bones out and made a broth from the bones. It was so much better than storebought broth/stock. I've been roasting chickens for a while now, and have always thrown the bones in the trash. What a waste! I loosely went by this recipe. What about you guys? Do you make your own broth?

Winter CSA, Week 7

This week our Preserved Goods package included: Canned corn (2 sizes), popping corn, homemade pasta, canned tomato juice, peach preserves, apple butter & green beans.

Child's Apron

Today I made Katie Belle a sweet little apron. I was so pleased. Although she will appreciate it one day, today was not that day.

Ravioli - A Cooking Failure

Have you ever made ravioli from won ton wrappers? For me, this was a total failure. First I made Pumpkin Ravioli (but I cannot find the link). Aren't they looking pretty? Until I boiled them, they completely fell apart into a sorry pile of mush.Next I tried Sweet Potato Pockets (not pictured). Although they held together better than the Pumpkin recipe, and KB did like them, but they were not worth the effort, in my opinion. You gotta lose some to win some, I guess.

And Even More Napkins

Finished up those cocktail napkins a few weeks ago. Then made another set of napkins for a friend!

Dinner of Yum

Here are some of the ingredients that became a very yummy dinner for our family!Creamed spinach - In an effort to become like Popeye, Ethan than has become hooked on this. Sadly, this is one of my most proud moments of motherhood.
Maple Tangerine Carrot Coins
Jeweled Rice with dried Fruit
Acorn Squash with Apples

A Season of CSA

As CSAs prepare to resume for their regular 2010 growing season, I thought I would post a recap of what we received in 2009. These are half bushel shares for Avalon Acres CSA. The season runs May - October. They also offer many other options, including meat, eggs, baked goods, and a winter csa. Although I am a big advocate of CSAs, I do not say that they are best for every family. They are tons of fun, and tons of work. Read my complete list of pros and cons here. Another disclaimer: CSA bushels vary from week to week, year to year, and family to family. Two years ago we received tons of okra. This year we received none. So below should give you an idea of the variety, although not a complete picture.

If there is a link that is wrong (i can't spend any more time on this!), check out the csa labels in the righthand column, or click here.

MAYWeek 2: Radishes, Green Onions, Strawberries, Various Spring Greens, Cabbage, Kohlrabi
Week 3: Mustard Greens, Lettuce, Kohlrabi, Green Onions, Strawberries, Cauliflower
Week 4: (pictured above) Broccoli, Radish, Deer Tongue Lettuce, Red Leaf Lettuce, Spinach, Peas, Garlic Snapes, Herbs

JUNEWeek 5: Various Spring Greens, Peas, Green onions, Cabbage, Kohlrabi, Swiss chard, Broccoli, Potatoes, Strawberries, and Garlic snapes.
Week 6: Purple Cauliflower, Carrots, Onion, Potatoes, Herbs, Cabbage, Lettuce, Peas, Peaches, Green Onions, Garlic Snapes, Greens
http://lifewiththebrocks.blogspot.com/2009/06/csa-week-5-6.html
Week 7: Green Beans, Cabbage, Blackberries, Carrots, Onion, Cucumbers, Zucchini, Beets, Greens, Broccoli, Green Onions, Herbs, Radishes, Onion, Squash
Week 8: Cauliflower, yellow zucchini, garlic, potatoes, green beans, cucumber, cabbage, squash, beets, onion & green pepper.
Week 9: (Pictured above) Green Pepper, Zucchini, Pole Beans, Blackberries, Cucumbers, Potatoes, Corn, Cauliflower, Cabbage, Garlic, Carrots

JULYWeek 11: Green Peppers, Tomatoes, Eggplants, Onion, Purple Hull Peas, Potatoes, Corn, Cantaloupe, Garlic
Week 12 : (pictured above) Wax Beans, Potatoes, Cantaloupe, Tomato, Yellow Tomatoes, Onion, Green Bell Pepper, Squash, Cucumber, Cabbage, Eggplant, & Corn.
Week 13

AUGUSTWeek 14 & 15: Cantaloupe, Eggplant, Green Beans, Pattypan Squash, Green Peppers, Onion, Tomatoes, Cucumbers, Peaches, Squash, Corn & Potatoes
Week 16: (pictured above) Green Beans, Tomatoes (small & big), Yellow & Green Bell Peppers, Corn, Onion, Banana Peppers, Potatoes (2 types), Lemon Cucumber, Purple Eggplant, Cantaloupe & some sort of White Eggplant.
Week 17: pumpkin, butternut squash, tomato, potato, corn, eggplant, cucumber, white eggplant, yellow tomatoes, onion, and green beans.

SEPTEMBERWeek 18: Corn, (Gretel?) Eggplant, Tomatoes, Onions, Green Beans, Green Pepper, Red Bell Pepper, Butternut Squash, and the biggest Cantaloupe ever.
Week 19: Watermelon, Tomato, Potato, Eggplant, Squash, Green Pepper, Green Beans, and Sweet Rolls!
Week 20: Tomatoes, Banana Peppers, Watermelon, Potatoes, Spaghetti Squash, Purple Hull Peas & Yellow Squash Bell Peppers, Raw Peanuts
Week 21: (pictured above) Raw Peanuts, Spaghetti Squash, Tomatoes, Potatoes, Bell Pepper, Pumpkin, Radishes, Cukes & Green Bean
Week 22: Green Beans, Radishes, Pumpkin, Spaghetti Squash, Apples, Zucchini, Pattypan Squash, Green Bell Pepper, Acorn Squash and Tomatoes!

OCTOBERWeek 23 - Cushaw Squash, Pumpkin, Purple Hull Peas, Cabbage, Tomatoes, Peppers, Bell Peppers, and Potatoes.
Week 25 - Chard, Raw Peanuts, Potatoes, Green Bell Pepper, Tomatoes, Pumpkin, Butternut Squash, Cabbage, Crowder Peas
Week 26 (Pictured above): Potatoes, Bok Choy, Butternut Squash, Long Island Cheese Pumpkin, Muscadine Grapes, Tomatoes, Popping Corn & some more of those White Beans.

As you know, The Winter CSA is a whole different animal. I'll post a summary of that when it finishes.

Will you be doing a CSA this year?

The Murder of Stan A. Live

This weekend, we co-hosted a 70's Themed Murder Mystery Party. It was awesome. I don't have anything else really to say about that. Except you should do this. And don't invite your best friends. Invite acquaintances that you would like to know better, who you think would get into it. There was So. Much. Laughter.Lance & Brad were Simon & Simon. Lance grew his 'stache especially for this occasion.

Valentine Mice

We made these guys for Ethan's classmates. Aren't they cute? Here are the instructions.

Ethan's Room - Before & After

Here is Ethan's room just after we started the renovation. We knocked out this door to attic space, and added it to E's room.
There is more to the room not visible here, but this is how we reframed the walls.
And after! I have a few more projects I'd like to do (repaint the chair, possibly paint the lamp, etc) but I'm going to sit tight for at least another month. :)

Raw Milk & Farm Eggs

Two years ago, there was hardly any milk or eggs being consumed in this house. These days, we're knocking them out all over the place. Recently, I bought raw milk (unpasteurized, non-homogenized...straight from the udder) and it was GOOD. And CREAMY.

If you read RealMilk.com, you would think it's the wonder-drink. It is called a "healing food" which is good for everything from skin to colon cancer. It is illegal to buy raw milk at the grocery, but it can be purchased buy buying a share of a cow from a farmer, and paying him to milk it for you. You can also buy raw milk as pet food. Many states outright outlaw the sale altogether, and two permit sale in groceries, with a few restrictions. I like news sources which give a balanced overview of pros & cons. So I thought these were two interesting articles on the subject. Time.com and the US News and World Report.
And you know what else is yummy? The free range, pastured eggs I've been buying. Look how pretty they are. I've bought some chickens too. Many farmers are allowed to sell their meat directly to consumers by selling you a live chicken, and then you pay them to slaughter your chicken.How about you guys? Ever tried raw milk? Raising chickens? I'd love to hear about it.

Winter CSA, Week 6

This week we got blue cornmeal, corn, green beans, hot pickled okra, whole wheat fettucini, stewed tomatoes, & jelly (can't remember what kind).

Garden Planning

I'm trying to decide what to plant in the garden this year. Any of you buying your seeds yet? I'd love to know about your favorite things to plant!

Before & After - Kitchen

I know y'all have seen my kitchen photos, but I found a new "before" picture which shows another angle. I think B&A's are most fun when you can see the before. Our kitchen was so small that it was hard to back up and take a photo. But this is from the "eating room." Here are some other close ups of our kitchen before.
As you can see, we moved a door, knocked down a few walls, and made a ton of other dramatic changes. All because a car ran into our house. Life deals you surprises.
One year after we've moved back in, I can say it was worth it. We love our renovations & i love being in here cooking all day (which absolutely feels like the truth most days.) I love the lighting fixture that was originally our house's flour sifter.

Molasses Bars

These guys are good. Recipe and photo found here at Country Living, City Style.

Pumpkin Black Bean Soup

Remember how I told you how I'm trying to make my freezer look like this? I've been working hard to use up all the freezer foods, which means lots of pumpkin recipes, from all those pumpkins I pureed this fall & winter. I've been eating lots of Pumpkin Black Bean Soup. I love, love, love soup. When cooking this, you can use either vegetable or chicken broth, and I also never use the ham. I still have some pumpkin left. And you know what else I have in the freezer? Frozen bread. So I think I'll be making Pumpkin Bread Pudding!

Surprise!

I love this. As the snow begins to melt, you can see the tops of some tulips I planted this fall. I love the symbolism of the cold melting away, and the warmth of Spring coming up! These were planted secretly in fall as a Valentine's surprise for my hubby. Bring on the Spring!

Rock Climbers

I loved this too. On Sunday, when roads where still barely drivable for most, the gym was packed! Nothing can keep climbers away! :)

Snowed In

Last weekend we saw more snow than we've seen around here in years. It's amazing how weather can just force you to slow down. What should have been a very busy full weekend turned out to be, in fact, a relaxing weekend around the house. We had a great time sledding & playing in snow.
We enjoyed strolling the back roads - completely free from cars. We trekked down to our friends' house to sled down their hill.
Tandem Sledding & Face Plant!
Then our friends got out a grill for hot dogs, chiminea, and hot chocolate station down at the side of the street. It was so much fun having neighbors get together!

Lentil Soup (Esau's Stew)

Last night I made Lentil Soup (and added some Turkey Sausage). My folks joined us & as we sat down for dinner, Ethan decided he wasn't going to eat his soup. That was - until Mimi told him the story about how Esau traded his whole birthright for some Lentil Stew. "Can you imagine trading all your toys for this bowl of soup?" she said. (Guess who ate the soup.) Then, he didn't want his steamed broccoli. Until Mimi told him that there were little birds in the "trees" and when she ate one, the woodpeckers started knocking all over her tummy. All of the sudden, Ethan wanted to eat all the "trees" so the birds would be in his tummy too.

Another successful meal! Will there ever be a day when we can just sit down to a meal and all eat it without any special tricks, stories, pretense or complaints? That would be nice.

Potty Advice - Needed!

My 18-month old has taken a serious interest in the potty. Frequently, she says "I potty." or "I poo poo!" and points at the toilet. So several weeks ago, we got out the potty seats and she has been using the potty. (#1 successes, but only gas with attempts for #2)

I realize that she is extremely young to be potty trained. But I do know of babies being potty trained this early. So my question to you friends is: How would you handle this situation?

I do not want to push her to be potty trained (I'm not trying to win any awards here). Nor do I want to ignore her interest. However, it is a lot of maintenance (taking off all the diapers, clothes, sitting there with her several times a day.) She could just be messing with me. (She's smart. I wouldn't put it past her.)

Any thoughts or opinions are very appreciated.