Turkey Into Soup

Well, the Green Death is all et up, as is the pecan pie (that went fast), pumpkin pie, peach pie, peach cobbler, stuffing (we ate that for 3 meals/day for quite some time...)... and I'm sorry to say the mashed potatoes served the birds. That is, they were all calorie-infused what with butter (a lot) and cream cheese (a lot). They were intended for a potluck that wasn't, and while reheating them in the crock pot worked grandly, keeping them warm in said crock pot for ... a day or two... probably wasn't the best idea. I tossed them when they began to turn a toasty brown shade.

But the turkey! It continues to bless us.

On Sunday I took to it with a knife, dicing up a gallon ziploc full of bits, and mostly filling another with larger chunks. These went into the freezer to make pot pie and other yummy things later. I removed the skin (and attached quills, ahem) and fed it to the cats and dog, and broke the remainder up and put it in my roaster thing. Does anybody know the name for that? My mom used to call it "the Nesco", but this one isn't a Nesco brand. It's like a giant, rectangular, steel, thermostatically-controlled crockpot. Great for roasting, and making big bunches of whatever. Anyways, into this contraption went the skinless bird - lots of meat, and all the bones. I turned it to just over boiling (212 degrees or so) and let it simmer that day. And night. And yesterday. Wait, did it really cook that long? Hm. Well, as long as it's kept at least 140 (the magic bacteria-inhibiting temperature) it's fine. I didn't boil it all that time, but kept it hot. This morning I turned it off for a few hours, and then did the tedious task of separating everything within it. I get out several bowls of varying sizes, and sort accordingly: Bones Which Might Kill The Dog (Hubby requests I not feed her such, otherwise I would), Nice Meat Which We Will Eat, and Weird Creepy Stuff For The Dog. What's left is a murky, bit-infused broth, which is remedied by pouring through strainers/sieves/filters until it's fairly nice. This is a step my mom didn't (doesn't?) do, and it's made all the difference in the world to me in the palatability of homemade soups. I'm also much pickier between Meat and Weird Creepies. (Sorry Mom)

At this point I looked at the clock and freaked out because we were making an unusual Tuesday trip to town - consisting of grocery shopping at Costco, portrait-taking at Sears, and a dentist appointment. And if that's not a perfect schedule for a masochist, I don't know what is. But don't worry: we survived, if barely. Organique only screamed and cried when it was her turn to have her picture taken. And ran around. And left the studio. And tripped and banged her head, which of course, resulted in more screaming and crying, only this time with a nice mark upon her forehead.

But we were talking about soup. Tomorrow I will dice some carrots, de-insecticide some celery, then dice it, cut up an onion, toss in some (more) bay leaves, thyme, maybe savory or sage, and eventually some peas, and have tastey soup. Oh, and probably some barley, and a pound of salt. Hubby doesn't think it's food if a spoon can't stand straight up in a bowl of it. I don't think it's food if it isn't nicely salted.

Once upon a time I let my turkey carcasses end up in the trash. Now I never do (perhaps because so much effort and expense goes into raising and readying the buggers), and I encourage you to try it, if you haven't. It's wonderfully nutritious, perfect for the season, and makes several meals with the addition of a few cheap veggies and a grain.

Peter Piper..

..picked a peck of lacto-fermented peppers.

At least, we did.

But geez, here I go with my clarifiers: I don't really know if we picked a PECK, as I'm not sure how much that is. A bushel? A half-bushel? I don't know. Please don't think I'm lying, okay? I don't mean to.

I planted six each of an interesting variety of peppers. Both varieties are small, and fairly round. One is "Cherry Pick," which is a sweet type, and the plant stays somewhat small. "Cherry Bomb," on the other hand, is spicy, and grows large and breaks it's branches as it grows. I tried not to confuse them... They're good green, red, and pretty much whenever. If you like peppers, which I don't. In addition, we had some banana peppers coming ripe.

Hubby loves pickled things, but the 'modern' method of pickling, which includes pasteurized vinegar and high-heat processing, completely denatures the food. What was once a nutrient- and enzyme-rich way of preserving harvest's bounty has become exactly the opposite (see Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon, link in my sidebar). To this end, I've tried to meet Hubby's preference for pickled stuff without losing the benefits of healthy eating.

*Note: In addition to Nourishing Traditions, I also consulted Making Sauerkraut and Pickled Vegetables at Home.

The basic method:

trim and prepare peppers (vegetables, spices, etc)

stuff them in a jar (I used 2-quart jars)

add sea salt liberally (I don't recall the exact amount. I added extra because I ended up needing more water to cover the produce)

cover with filtered water

add a bit of whey.

Then, the really weird part:

Put lids on, and leave them sit on the counter for a few days, at least.

Huh?

That's right; let them sit at room temperature for a while. After that, they can go into 'cold storage,' which is a warm fridge or the traditional root cellar. We have neither, so they're in a cold fridge.

This is the same method your granny used for the "crock" pickles, or sauerkraut. The idea behind it is that the salt preserves it for the short-term, keeping harmful bacteria from reproducing too rapidly. The whey (the liquid that separates from yogurt, buttermilk, etc) is full of lactic-acid producing bacteria, which, as their name implies, produce lactic acid. This serves to preserve the foodstuffs (long-term harmful bacterial suppression) as well as aid digestion.

These don't get cooked, canned, or heated. In fact, it's best to eat them cold (or mildly heated - not in the microwave).

Our peppers have been in the fridge for a month or more now, and they've lost some of their brightness, but we're hoping they're tasty (at least Hubby's hoping - they're not tasty even fresh, if you ask me). According to the books, there's no chance of getting sick if the process derails somewhere along the way. Apparently the smell will ward off any attempts at consumption. :)

So - here's to good-eatin', and good-livin' -- all at the same time. :)

What's Cookin'

Well, it's 10:30 at night. What do you think is cooking?

Beef stock, for one. I'm following the prescribed rules of my Food Bible (Nourishing Traditions, and I'm worse at following it than I am the Real Live Bible), and making some hearty, tasty broth. Everyone does this overnight, do they not? My favorite way is to use a crockpot or big roaster thingy. Since I'm using a big bunch of soup bones, I'm using the roaster thingy. You know what I'm talking about, right? Like a crockpot, only metal, rectangular, and with a thermostat instead of misspelled relative temperature options? Sorry, it's late, and I get a little crazy when it's late.

Anyway, I put the bones in water and a bit of vinegar (helps draw calcium and minerals from the bones into the soup - not sure what it does to me when I use it in salads) and let them sit an hour before heating it. Then I turned it up "high" (not 'hi' - 450' to be exact) until it boiled. I skimmed off the impurities, but there weren't many. These might not be beef 'knuckles', perhaps. Then I turned it to simmer, where it stayed for the day, and will stay for the night, and maybe some of tomorrow as well. I'll remove the bones (and MAYBE give them to our naughty dog), tear up the meat, and strain the broth. Maybe I'll let it cool and remove the fat somewhere in that process. Then I'll put in more of all the lovely garden abundance and try not to eat it all in one day, like the last time I made it. Perhaps I'll have enough to freeze for later. Wouldn't that be fantastic?

I ALSO (because I am so amazing tonight) have chicken broth in the makings. And haven't even tripped a circuit yet. I roasted a chicken in the crockpot, and the uneaten parts (minus the feathery skin - gotta love home-processed poultry) are simmering with an onion and some garlic. I'll treat it like the beef stock tomorrow - remove bones (and likely give them to the naughty dog)*, separate meat, strain broth - then add veggies and some sort of starch. I'm undecided if it'll be barley, rice, or homemade noodles. The noodles are grand, but Organique hasn't eaten wheat yet (that I know of - her under-the-table expeditions might have introduced her to it by now), so I might forego those. I'll use potatoes with the beef, so not the chicken.

I even washed and dried diapers tonight, too.

But before I start floating away with all this inflation-of-ego, I better go make sure I set the dishwasher to ACTUALLY wash, because I'm pretty sure I forgot that.

*okay, I wouldn't really give the dangerous, splintery, cooked-chicken bones to our dog. Probably.

Sourdough

I did it! I made sourdough starter. Inasmuch as you make it, of course. It kindof makes itself, which is handy.



Sourdough is 'wild' yeast, caught and kept in a flour-batter mix. Used in place of yeast to leaven things. Pancakes can be tastey too.



I followed some directions which said to put 1 c. of whole wheat flour and 1 c. of water (filtered) into a glass container, cover with a dishtowel, and set in a dark corner. The instructions also called for the addition of 1 c. flour and 1 c. water each day for a week before it would be useable.



After five days I wasn't impressed. A neighbor showed me her starter, and how she made it, so I changed things up a bit.



I ignored it for 2 or 3 days.



Lo and behold! the nice bubbles and beer-ish smell were finally there! After that third day, I 'fed' it again (the flour and water) and also added a teeny bit of honey. Yeast loves sweets, after all.



I used it to make some bread, again following a recipe, but am going to have to change it. It rose wonderfully (but FAR slower than with yeast), but the rising time was too much. By the time I checked it, it had risen (the second time) and fallen. I baked it anyway, but again, bake time was too much, and I have some DARN CRISPY sourdough bread. The flavor is good though! To me, anyway. The girls aren't too thrilled about it.


Now, to make some big sourdough bread-bowls for soup or chili! mmMMMmm!

Also, my pet SCOBY is just starting... after a week.

Kombucha!

I'm so very thrilled.



Kombucha is NOT made from a mushroom. Mushrooms do not make it, nor do they live in it, nor do they contribute to it's retirement.



What IS Kombucha? Hmm... very good question. Wiki says:

Kombucha is the Western name for sweetened tea or tisane that has been fermented using a macroscopic solid mass of microorganisms called a "kombucha colony," usually consisting principally of Acetobacter-species and yeast cultures.

That is, it's the result of the Kombucha SCOBY's 'work' on sugar and tea. SCOBY stands for Symbiotic Culture Of Bacteria and Yeast. Isn't that cute? MUCH better terminology than "mushroom". Ick.



Kombucha is supposed to be wildly healthy. Of course, there are no 'proven' studies done by university research departments, which is why I'm inclined to believe it's true.



So now, since mushrooms aren't involved, I want to make some. To make it, however, you need it. One of those paradoxes again. The SCOBY is what makes it happen, and you need to get a SCOBY before you can get Kombucha. I know no SCOBYS (scobies?). BUT - I found out how to find one! A cheaper, if slower, alternative to ebay.



I got one of these from the store. The plain version. And swimming in the bottom was a little translucent jelly-fish looking thing.



*smile*



A SCOBY.



Others have nursed this little baby SCOBY into a hard-working mother SCOBY, and I am trying to do the same. I put the li'l critter in my 4 c. pyrex glass measuring cup, covered it with a flour-sack dishtowel, and made some room in a cupboard. The girls now ask about our "pet."



Eventually I will follow this step-by-step tutorial on Kombucha brewing. Wiki-how has instructions too.



And I will be sure to post about how Kombucha made me lose weight, feel better, sleep better, made me happy and taught me to fly.

Whar's The Beef?!?

It ain't here, sadly.

We're almost down to the last of the 3/4 beef we bought, oh, about a year-and-a-half ago. I'm looking to buy one on the hoof here sometime, but s/he won't probably be edible for another couple years. We've got a handful of fine steaks (well, fine is relative, and when you thought round steak was shmancy as a kid, what's in the freezer may not be "fine" at all...) and I think that's it.

Considering my already-suspicious attitudes towards grocery store meat, the latest slaughterhouse expose' hasn't made it any easier to buy at the market. Look, I'm sure it's probably fine, but ... do you know what the incubation period is for Mad Cow disease? That is, the time between when you ingest some nasty little prions and then show symptoms? Forty years. No, I'm not kidding. And it's not pretty. My (step) grandmother "felt funny" on June 1, 1996, and by July was acting very strangely (somewhat alzheimer-ish). Before August was over, she was gone. What happened? Eventually they diagnosed her with CJD (human form of mad cow) that she must've picked up in England when her husband was stationed there in 1956!!

Sorry, that's not what this post is about. But while I'm at it, I'll just state that I really don't think grocery-store hamburger has this stuff going on at all. I am saying that I prefer the distance between the 'moo' and my mouth to be as short (and visible) as possible.

No one local has any beeves for sale, but my favorite organic grass-fed dairyman a few hours from here has some available. A $40 lb box of mixed cuts was a mere $260. Which, if you do the math, comes down to $6.50/lb....*gasp*.. *choke*.. *sputter*. Don't get me wrong, it's SO worth it... if you have it.

So what to do? This is Day 1 on Hubby's Crazy Diet, and Day 1 is traditionally Beef Day. It's also Haddock Day and Whitefish Day and Other Crazy Fish Day that we don't recognize, but here in the desert those things are hard to come by. I had some organic baby spinach in the fridge (don't worry, I always wait a few days before we eat it to see if an e. coli outbreak happens*) and thought taco salad would be tastey. Not tastey enough, however, to grind up T-bone steaks. So I used beans! Yes, yes, I know, you use beans anyway in taco salad (personally, we use garbanzos more often than kidney beans). I used some black turtle beans in place of the beef, and you know what? It was great.

So -

Earlier today I put the beans (they were the dry kind) in water with a bit of vinegar (if you have 3 hours, read about why here). While I should've started them soaking yesterday, it was better than nothing. At about 3:45 or so, I poured off the water, put fresh water in them, and simmered them 2 hours or so. I removed enough beans to replace 'the beef' (I cooked a bunch so I could freeze them for later, of course), added taco seasoning, garbanzos, salt - then served it over baby spinach with some sliced olives, taco sauce, ranch dressing, cheese, sour cream - whatever. Affordable, healthy and good.

*Ok, I'm just kidding. Usually it takes several weeks for health officials to put the pieces together enough to pin an outbreak on any one thing.

Goodies, Part Three!

Real Scottish Shortbread

This is one of those that's a little hard to post, for several reasons. First, it's almost impossible to explain the exact technique we use without watching. And no, I don't have serial pictures to illustrate each step, either. Secondly, it's one of those holiday traditions that I know dates back to at least the MacMillans, who were my great-great-great-grandparents. So consider this my sacrifice for Peace on earth, goodwill toward men, ok? The recipe (and technique) have evolved over the ages, obviously, and I have yet to try it with my raw, home-churned butter, which I'm sure the MacMillan's used.

Here is the recipe:

3 lbs flour
2 lbs butter
1 lb sugar
1 tsp. salt

Mix well and bake.

Ok, maybe that's a bit over-simplified. Get ready for the difficult-to-describe details. Use all-purpose flour and baker's (very fine) sugar if you can find it. Sift these dry ingredients A LOT. My grandma has been known to substitute about 1/2 cup of powdered sugar for a bit of it. Once that's all sifted together WELL, cut up your two pounds (yes, pounds) of butter into chunks. Gi-gi also swears by adding about 1/6 pound of lard to the mix. I make it either way. Gently "toss" the cut chunks with the flour mixture. Now you need to warm it. Gi-gi uses the microwave, generations previous used the wood stove. DO NOT let the butter melt (easy to do if you don't have years of balancing this relationship in your own personal microwave). If you do, I recommend sitting down with about 50 of your closest friends and eating the dough with spoons (or fingers). Melted butter makes for... tough.. shortbread. You want butter that is warm to the touch and soft. When it is like that, roll up your sleeves (if you haven't already) and mash it all up. To do this we use a very sophisticated technique. I don't know if there's a name for it, but we thrust our hands into it and mix it around and squeeze the dough through our fingers and make a big mess. Once it's mixed WELL, I take out a handful and form it into a squarish log, maybe 1.5" square. This I take and slice about 1/4 - 3/8" thick and lay the slices on cookie sheets. I use a fork to 'prick' them about 4 times or so. They are baked at 350 until done. I have no idea when that will be for you. True traditional shortbread is not allowed to brown, though I like the taste better when just the edges start to turn. In my frigidaire convection oven, it takes about 17 minutes. My grandma's identical oven takes 16. If you forget about the last oven-full, it looks like these on the right. I believe the pigs ate these last year. This kind of 'brown' is definitely beyond the allowable limits.

I wish I could say exactly how much this recipe will make for you. Because it is a large recipe, a lot depends on how large you form the logs and how thickly you slice them. A triple batch we did one day made 35 dozen, I think Gi-gi got 42 dozen out of a triple shortly thereafter.

Fun facts opinions bits of info:
Kids can help 'mash' the mixture and/or prick the shortbread slices after they're on the pan (if your kids are older than mine, perhaps they can also form, slice, and arrange them on the sheet).

Shortbread are NOT cookies. Scotsmen find that offensive. I will try to be gracious, but consider yourself warned.

Gi-gi counts her shortbread made by the pounds of butter she uses. Last I heard it was in the neighborhood of fifty pounds so far this year. This is the only thing she ever uses her oven for, and it is the only thing she gives as gifts.

Once, Gi-gi located an old nun who had moved to some far-away convent. She had lost track of her many years prior. After hearing where she was, she sent some shortbread, and the caretakers put a plate of it out. Though this (former?) nun was blind and no one had informed her of the shipment, it only took one taste for her to exclaim, "I'll be! That's [Gi-gi]'s shortbread!"

I hope you get a chance to try this out. I also hope it turns out well. Please let me know of your attempts!

Goodies, Part Two!

This is a very poor picture indeed, but one of another favorite. We've called these "Chocolate Butterscotch Scotcheroos" and they ARE a mouthful. A little goes a long way with these; they're rich and delicious, and hard to chew.

First, grease a 9x13 pan. Any pan will do, but I prefer glass. I used to use those el-cheapo Baker's Secret things, until I learned Teflon will kill me, and since they shed said teflon like dandruff, I decided glass is better. Grease it with something worthwhile, like butter.

In a large pot, mix a cup of sugar and a cup of corn syrup. I know, it doesn't really get any worse, does it? Corn syrup is GM, almost always, and sugar is just not good for you. But this is not a health-food post or recipe, is it? Ok, cook it (I really don't care what kind of heat) until it JUST comes to a boil, then remove from the heat and add a cup of peanut butter and stir it in well. From the time it boils you don't want to waste any time, as in cooling it hardens considerably. Stir in 6 cups of Cheap Generic Crispy Rice. Or the expensive kind, your choice. Stir gently to coat the rice with the goo. These recipes all have goo, don't they? Again, not wasting any time, scrape the stuff into your greased pan, and press it level, more or less. You might need to butter your fingers or use a utensil that won't have everything sticking to it. Then mix 1/2 a package of milk chocolate chips and 1/2 a package of butterscotch chips in a small saucepan, and melt them on low heat. Whey the chips are melted and smooth, pour them over the peanut butter/rice cereal mixture and spread evenly. You can cut these any time, but the best utensil is a dough cutter or scraper. It looks like a metal rectangle with a wooden or plastic handle along a long edge. If they're completely cooled and the chocolate is hardened, you will need a lot of muscle to do the job. I cut them about 1.5" square, wrap 8 or 12 in plastic wrap, and add them to a gift for Christmas!

To recap:
bring to boil:
1 c. sugar
1 c. corn syrup

Remove from heat and add:
1 c. peanut butter, stir
6 c. rice cereal, stir

press into greased pan,

melt 1/2 pkg. milk chocolate, 1/2 pkg. butterscotch

Spread over rice mixture, cool, cut, enjoy!

Goodies!

I don't mean to brag (well, maybe), but there are those who claim I've cornered the market on holiday treats. Again, they probably had ulterior motives, but I'll receive the compliment anyway.


One of my favorite goodies is Cracker Candy.


WOW, it's so delicious.


I don't think you can buy anything like it in the store, but really I wouldn't know. Not to say that this stuff is organic or even remotely healthy, mind you. But the taste... Here's a picture of some I made last year. It was already bagged up for the freezer, but maybe the beauty will convey anyway.


You want the recipe, don't you.


No, I couldn't.


Oh, please don't beg. Really.


Ok, I suppose, if it means that much to you. But if you live near me and frequent any of the same gatherings as I, or give gifts to the same people as I, please use this recipe with discretion. Alone, at night, in the privacy of your own home is fine.


Here we go.




Get some crackers. Those little white, toasty lookin' things. Saltines, or whatever. Also get butter (the original recipe called for margerine, but...yuck!), brown sugar, milk chocolate chips (or whatever darkness you prefer) and mashed walnuts. Oh, you don't know what that is? Chopped walnuts will work fine also. Probably will work better. I buy walnuts in 'halves and pieces' and put them in a ziplock and beat the heck out of them with a rolling pin. Hmm... maybe the counter had been under stress? Aluminum foil is also called for (see, toxic stuff, I tell ya!) though I recently used parchment paper instead. The jury is still out on that. Anyways, a kitchen is also handy, with it's appropriate appliances and tools-of-the-trade.


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil and spray with non-stick pan spray (since aluminum and spray-propellants will kill you, I either brush the foil with oil or use parchment paper. I can't totally recommend the parchment paper yet, because the last [triple] batch had some issues that *might* be attributed to this). Carefully line the foil with saltine crackers. If they don't fit to the edge (and they never do), trimming crackers to fit along the edge can be helpful. Set aside.


Bring to boil over medium heat: 1 c. brown sugar and 1 c. butter (margerine?). Boil 3 minutes (more won't hurt, but don't do it TOO long). Pour/spread this over your crackers, making sure each cracker is well-saturated with the goo. Put in oven for 5 minutes.


While this 'bakes', melt a package of milk chocolate chips over low heat (I rinse and DRY the same pan I used for the butter/sugar mixture).


When the crackers are done, remove them from the oven and 'replace' them. That is, use a fork or something to get them back in order. They like to swim and float about in the oven (which is why leaving too much space along the edges is a bad thing), and we need a nice grid here.


Spread the melted chocolate over the cracker mixture, trying not to stir the carmelized stuff into the chocolate too badly.


Sprinkle mashed walnuts over the chocolate.


Cut while still warm.


Did you get that last part? If they're warm enough, it's hardly even 'cutting.' Draw a butter knife between each cracker. If you don't do this while they're warm, you will have one giant goodie that is hard to wrap. You can use a chisel to try to cut it, but they won't come out in squares if you do.


Cool, and remove from pan/foil. If you did it right, this shouldn't be too hard.


Now, my last batch had a problem usually associated with removing the butter/sugar from the stove (or oven, after it's on the crackers) too quickly. After they cooled, the sugar/butter wasn't carmelized, but still like... buttery sugar. Kind of. Some of it was inclined to stay on the parchment paper as opposed to hardening to itself and staying in one piece. Don't get me wrong; they're still quite edible, but they don't package, travel, or present quite as nicely. I'm not sure if I took them off the heat too quickly, or if the parchment paper lends a different quality to the stuff.


I will test it again next week. For the past few years I've taken a huge tray of this and two more goodies (yet to be posted!) to Hubby's company Christmas party and they're always a hit. This year no one will expect it, what with the baby and homeschooling and all, so it will be fun to make everyone think I'm superwoman surprise everyone. I might even make an assortment of dark chocolate ones, so they look all cute alternating on the tray.

"Day 3" Cookies

Don't they look delicious? They're egg-, dairy-, and wheat-free. They'd be better with chocolate, but oh, well. Chocolate is not a day 3 item, and all my chocolate chips have dairy elements. I hope Hubby loves them anyway.

The recipe follows, but I kinda made it up, so be forewarned.

Mix:

1 1/4 c. peanut butter (I used organic, that is runnier than conventional stuff with nasty corn syrup and evil trans fat)

1/4 c. or less coconut oil (you could use butter)

3 eggs (I used egg substitute - weird stuff)

1-2 c. honey (I used closer to 1, and added a dash of stevia. Sugar would probably work)

some salt, maybe?


Then add and mix:

2 t. baking soda

Add and mix:

4 1/2 c. rolled oats

1/2 c. oat flour (i.e. rolled oats that have been in the food processor)

Because it seemed a bit ... weak (slouching down the bowl sides), I added a bit more of the powdered egg substitute, which is mostly potato flour. If you used the sugar, and 'stiffer' peanut butter, you might not need the oat flour, even.

I cooked them 10 minutes at 350.

Catching Bugs

Today is supposed to be town day, but we're not in town. The girls traded in catching insect bugs for catching viral bugs, and they are kindly taking turns being down with it. Tuesday morning we had to toss the kids from bed to car very early, as to take Daddy to work (he drives his service truck, but can't bring it home if he takes his own vehicle - and the service truck had been worked on). It's a good 30 minute drive through farmland, mostly, but in the one stretch of curves and hills my oldest got sick enough to throw up a bit. Daddy was worried he'd be late, and our nice little car can corner quite well... Little Monkey also got a bit sick before we arrived, and I went in to get them some water while Hubby unloaded his work stuff. I drove home as carefully as I could, but Big Sister got sick again along the way.

Once home, I gave them some time to recover, and made their breakfast. Little Monkey perked up fairly quickly, but not so the other one. I admonished her several times, "carsick isn't sick. Carsick is because your body didn't like moving around like that. You'll be fine." Eventually I bothered to notice that her cheeks were flushed and she had a fever. Another Mother-Of-The-Year moment, to be sure. She didn't eat much that day, and mostly lay around the house.

Yesterday she started off pretty slowly, but some friends stopped by and by then she was pretty well recovered. It's hard to keep a 5-year-old quiet and calm when there are friends to help terrorize yellow jackets and to show off to. But by the evening Little Monkey was crying about everything, and by the time I had her bathed and in her jammies, I could tell she was under it. She was up last night to go potty and once to be sick. Her appetite is better than her sister's was (usually is!), but she's keeping a pretty low profile today. Hence, we are not in town.

I made oatmeal cake this morning for breakfast. I topped it with (raw) whipped cream, sweetened with maple syrup, and STILL Big Sister complained of the cream smelling like "cows". It wasn't soured at all. I don't know how she can equate fresh cream with cows so well; she hasn't even been very close to cows that I can think of. And I know the cream doesn't smell like the confinement dairies around here!

Here's the recipe for the Oatmeal Cake (baked oatmeal) since I can't seem to find it online where I SWEAR it used to be...

Oatmeal Cake:
The night before, mix the following in a bowl:
3 c. rolled oats
1 1/2 c. kefir, yogurt, or buttermilk (gotta get those nasty phytates out!)
1 c. melted butter
3/4-1 c. sucanat (or honey, if you like)
1 t. cinnamon

cover and set on the counter

in the morning:
Add:
2 beaten eggs
2 t. baking powder
1 t. salt
1/2-1 c. raisins, nuts, etc. I like to grate a granny smith apple in it.

Spread in greased 11 x 7 pan and bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes. You can serve it with yogurt, milk, whipped cream, whatever.

Now, I double this at least, and it fits well in a large pyrex pan... 10 x 15" maybe? Larger than the standard 9 x 13 one. It is just so darn delicious!

Well, I better get to some of the Friday chores, though after being up with Little Monkey I can't say I much feel like it. Maybe I'll work on the garden, though even the soaker hoses blew awry these last few days...

(Mis)Adventures

The other day I was reading a blogpost on a friend's myspace, and it made me laugh. Her 5 year old daughter was into one trouble after another, including writing on her new fancy couch, spilling a large bucket of beans on the porch and flinging them into the yard, and flooding their bathroom with water, conditioner, and mouthwash. The hilarity was that this sounded so routine to me (though not typically with my 5-year-old)!

I gave the girls a bath tonight, and got them dried and in their jammies. I paused to check email and let them play with Daddy (who had just gotten home) downstairs. I guess Daddy was in the bathroom, and the girls went outdoors to enjoy the warm evening. I heard their voices thru the window, and looked out to tell them to come back inside. There they were, sitting in the lawn, freshly washed and in their jammies, playing contentedly with.... something. "Okay, let's give them back to the kitty" my oldest said. "What are you playing with?" I asked as they returned their treasures to the cat. "Mouses!" my 3-year-old said. "What?!? Mice???" "Yeah." "Are they... alive?" "No," my daughter said, "they're dead. They don't bite." Good grief. My kids had three dead mice to play with on their laps in the twilight. Of course.

I've been asked about the mayonnaise I made for the potato salad last weekend. This recipe is out of Nourishing Traditions which I absolutely recommend if you have any sense of caretaking your health so as to be effective in God's Kingdom!

Mayonnaise
Makes 1 1/2 cups
1 whole egg, at room temp
1 egg yolk, at room temp
1 t. Dijon-type mustard
1 1/2 T. lemon juice
1 T. whey (optional)
3/4-1 c. extra virgin olive oil or expeller-expressed sunflower oil
generous pinch sea salt
In your food processor, place egg, egg yolk, mustard, salt and lemon juice and optional whey. Process until well blended, about 30 seconds. Using the attachment that allows you to add liquids drop by drop, add olive oil and/or sunflower oil with the motor running. Taste and check seasoning. You may want to add more salt and lemon juice. If you have added whey, let the mayonnaise sit at room temperature, well covered, for 7 hours before refrigerating. With whey added, mayonnaise will keep several months and will become firmer with time. Without whey, mayonnaise will
keep for about 2 weeks.

My experience: I use Grey Poupon, and it's almost a little TOO much of a mustard-y flavor for mayo. Great in egg-salad though. My mayo comes out decidedly yellow, not because of the pale mustard, but the egg yolks. Most commercial brands use more egg whites than yolks, but the yolks (of decent eggs) are full of good vitamins and enzymes. My egg yolks are quite orange, so this adds to the color. The whey thing is cool; Whey is a by-product of making cheese, and it includes some of the cheese-making bacteria.... particularly lactic-acid-producing bacteria. This is special because lactic acid actually inhibits the growth of many kinds of bad bacteria (same stuff in sauerkraut, etc). Sitting the mayo out for a while lets these good bacteria grow and make the acid; therefore even in the fridge for months bacteria won't be able to spoil your mayo! Why bother? Well, the oils in store-mayo are less than good for you. Even canola is controversial. And 80% of soybeans are genetically modified, so... And if I can't pronounce it, I try to avoid it.

A note on whey: apparently it is also the 'watery stuff' on top of yogurt. Try to find an organic or natural brand (I use Nancy's - well, I did before starting to make it myself), line a colander with cheesecloth and pour in the yogurt (I use plain - not sure if the fruity/sugary stuff would even work). Let it drain all day (into a bowl or jar!). Tie up the cheesecloth and hang it (I tied it to the handle of a wooden spoon resting across the top of a large pot) overnight. What you get in the bowl is whey, what you have in the cloth is cream cheese, albeit a little tangy, but softer to spread. And NOT 'manufactured' in the way it's done commercially.

Tuesday - Kitchen Day!

I'm happy to say that the girls' room is still clean! We had a hefty glitch the other night, but it finally got taken care of. I haven't looked in there for a few hours though; I may need to temper my excitement...

Today is my Kitchen Day, and while I didn't get a ton of things cleaned perfectly, I DID get a lot of cooking done. Yesterday I had to run to town for my midwife appointment, and had planned to make Split Pea Soup. I prepped the carrots, celery, and onion in the food processor, and then started looking for the split peas... I used to buy them by the barrel, I swear. I guess I thought I had enough to last for eternity, and haven't bought them in a while, because they were nowhere to be found. Thankfully I had to run to town anyway, so I just figured to pick up some split peas. I did, but not at the price I'm used to! $1.19/lb for plain, ol', bulk split peas. It did save me a stop, even though I paid more. I used about 5.8 lbs for my pot; made about 3 gallons.

If you're interested, it goes like this:

• Split peas and water, about 1:2 or 3 in a pot or crock pot.
• sliced carrots
• diced celery
• an onion or so, diced
• RealSalt
• Black pepper (fresh ground)
• Spike - available at Fred Meyer in bulk (along with expensive peas)
• Bay leaf (or leaves, if you make 3 gallons)

Bring to boil, simmer a good while (or put in crock pot on low for the day). I usually use a bit of bacon for taste, but I haven't gotten around to smoking the bacons yet, so this one is meat-free. I also make it fairly thick; when cool it can stand your spoon up nicely. I used to add basil and thyme, but used Spike this time. VERY tasty!!!

Now, that was all yesterday, but today I measured and bagged and froze the remainder of the soup.

I also roasted a home-grown, home-processed turkey, which smells really tasty. I also used Spike on this. I'll let you know how it tastes.

I was able to acquire a gallon of raw organic cream today, on the Black Market. I used some of it to make ice cream! Yummy! I got the recipe from Nourishing Traditions (see sidebar) and tweaked it only a bit. I made blueberry ice cream, with blueberries, cream, honey, maple syrup, egg yolks, and vanilla. It called for arrowroot powder, but I don't have any yet. The only thing I'm ashamed of is the honey. It's cheap "clover" honey from Costco. The blueberries are from Azure, naturally grown, the maple syrup is organic, egg yolks laid today, and real vanilla. But wow, it's sure good. Very fluffy and full of all those great fat-soluble vitamins like A and D and such... Since it's not pasturized those things remain intact and useable! So this ice cream is pretty imperative for good health. :)

Another recipe from the same book is for sauerkraut. I made some of that today, too. Or, I started to make it. I got some organic cabbage (2 small/medium heads), shredded it in the food processor, put it in a bowl with the abovementioned salt, and beat it up. I need a good cabbage-abusing tool. I used the handle of a giant wooden spoon my husband's grandparents gave me ages ago. It took a while. After you beat it up, you put it into quart jars, press it down, put a lid on, and walk away. That is, just leave it there. On the counter. At room temperature. For days.

Then put it in cold storage (I'm still not sure exactly what that is... the basement? The fridge?) for as long as you want to wait till you eat it. It is a lactic-acid fermentation, which kills nasty bacteria but promotes good-bacteria (think yogurt, etc). VERY good for you, so I read. I look forward to eating it.

The hens are upping production consistently. We're getting 15-18 a day, but they don't start laying till 10 am or so. Do I have lazy hens? I gave away 3 dozen yesterday, and 3 1/2 dozen today, and still have plenty on hand. I need a spare fridge and a roadside stand.

My seeds are VERY reluctant to sprout. The peppers I shopped for and ordered so meticulously are not germinating worth a darn. I don't know if I messed things up or what. I thought the peas I set out were a lost cause, but I've seen a FEW trying to sprout. I must've had 15 packets of peas. I may be lucky to GET 15 packets of peas in harvest! :) The broccoli and cabbage starts are doing okay. Visions of freaky un-canned, un-cooked sauerkraut dancing in my head! Just what I'll have time for, with a newborn and homeschooling to do...

As to my appointment, things look good. I was not dehydrated at all (better not be! 2 quarts+ of liquid per day, baby!), bp and heartrates for me and baby were good, minimal weight gain (all that water, maybe?), and another chiropractic adjustment to keep me together. I'm very grateful for that.