Seasoning Salt

Making your own seasoning salt can be a fun way to put your personal touch on any dish. We love sprinkling this seasoning on popcorn.

Seasoning Salt
(makes about 1 pint)

2 cup sea salt
2 tablespoons paprika
1 tablespoon dry mustard
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 teaspoon turmeric

In bowl, combine all ingredients until mixed well. Store in airtight container in dark place. Use to season anything you would normally put salt on.

Makes a frugal and easy gift too! Just place mix into a mason jar and label.

DIY Weed Killer Spray

Weeding is back-breaking work and too often I spend hours weeding only to have the weeds sneak back in no time at all. Pre-made weed sprays can work wonders, but are expensive and who wants to spray chemicals all over the yard? Not me. I found a better solution that not only works faster and better, but is much cheaper.

DIY Weed Killer Spray
Ingredients:

• 1 gallon vinegar
• 1/2 cup table salt
• 1 teaspoon Dawn liquid dish soap (used the basic blue type)

Mix all ingredients together. I just shaked to combine.
Pour solution in a spray bottle or into a pressurized sprayer. Now attack those weeds.

For best results: Apply when rain is not forecasted for a day or two. Keep in mind this solution will kill anything that is put on. So if you spray plants you want to keep, it will kill them. But on the bright side the spray will also kill off grass if you planning to make a new planting bed.

This a very Eco-friendly way to beat those weeds. We love that we can use this solution and not worry about the kids or the dog being by where we sprayed. We also live on the river and don't want to have dangerous run off adding to the pollution of the river. 

This solution created very quick surprising results. We have many thistles that we are fighting against in a bed we are trying to regain control of. I used this spray in only 4 hours the leaves were already brown and the weeds were on their way to wasting away. Victory! 

Before & 4 hours after application.

Garden Update: Week of 5/25/14

Wow, what a busy week it has been at our house...
Memorial Day charity walk, dance rehearsals and recitals, last day of school, awards ceremony, gymnastics practice, a theater play, pine car derby and oh, yeah gardening.

Despite our busy schedules we were able to get some more of the garden planted...
Jalapeños, sweet corn, popcorn, decorative corn, sugar snap peas, green beans, spinach, broccoli, garlic, horseradish, onions, cucumbers, pickles, watermelons, carrots and quinoa.

And we planted the saddest tomato plants I have ever seen. We found 3 huge, but neglected tomato plants at Aldi's, for 50 cents total. The nurse in me is hoping to bring them back to health. Our tomato plant total is now at 32 (we may need some reinforcements when these are all ready to be harvested and preserved).

Our evenings are falling back into our summer routine, which brings Ron outside after dinner to water the garden. We are hoping to use mostly drip irrigation on the garden but there is a back corner that is getting the sprinkler treatment for the moment. Drip irrigation helps to create wider and deeper roots and makes your plants healthier. 

Here is a peak at the wildlife gracing our yard this past week:

Here is a recap of what else you might have missed from the week:

Foraging and Preserving Ramps

There is such a wonderful feeling that comes with finding your own food out in the "wild". It is like you are so lucky to find this tasty treat out in the wilderness just waiting for you. I was not brought up foraging but I have quickly learned to love it. It brings together many things I love: frugality, nature and spending time with my family. Just recently our family had a great time foraging for ramps and here are a few tips to help guide your efforts.

Ramps (Allium tricoccum) go by the name ramsons, wild garlic, wild leeks or spring leeks and have become widely popular in the last few years. They have a wonderful flavor combination of garlic and onion. These plants offer a wide variety of uses from the bulbs to leaves.

Ramps have 1 to 2 broad, smooth, light green leaves that progress into deep purple or burgundy coloring down the stems into the white bulbs. The bulbs are similar to scallions or green onions. The bulbs are rooted in the dirt, just below the surface of the earth. If you are still not sure if you found a ramp, just rip into the leave and take a whiff. You should notice a strong onion scent.

Be warned that the lily of the valley (Convallaria majalis) can have a similar appearance and are poisonous. But the leaf of the lily of the valley does not smell of onions. Lily of the valley also has small white bell shaped flowers.

With the popularity of ramps, they are getting harder and harder to find. Here are a few ways you can get your harvest on and still keep the ramps growing for years to come too. You should only harvest a portion of any items you find foraging and only take what you will use. This will keep this plant growing in your favorite location year after year. You can also leave the roots behind by cutting the roots off of the bulb.

Ramps are very versatile. The bulbs and leaves can be used just like you would onions, green onions, chives and garlic. But the effects are much more flavorful.

After you have harvested the ramps, you should wash them in cold water, rinsing well. Lay them out to dry. Cut off the roots from the end of the bulb. (Tip: Save the rooty ends and plant them in a shady location within your yard for your own sustainable crop.)

Next, separate the white part from the green leaves. Slice up the white portion into sections for use in whatever recipe you choose. The green leaves can be chopped and added to a salad or even puréed into pesto. 

For long term storage:
The white portion of the ramp can be stored in a freezer, in a plastic storage bag for months. This portion can also be pickled. Or the entire harvest can be kept in the refrigerator for a week or so. The green portion does not freeze well, so use when freshly harvested.

Garden Update: Week of 5/18/2014

Here is what is happening around our yard this past week.

Our trunk load (no joking... a dump truck load) of mulch is placed and spread in all the planting beds and around the garden fence.

Cleaned up a deprived and ignored bed that bordered our beloved neighbors.

Moved a large burning bush that was blocking our mulberry tree. Unearthed some tulip bulbs in the shady spot that we placed the bush. So the tulips had to be relocated to a sunnier spot in the yard. I love how gardening projects just lead into one another!

Cut the grass for the first time this season. We lowered the length down to 2.5 inches as we wanted the sunlight to reach the grass seed we placed last week. Usually we cut the grass at 3 inches.

Time to get planting...
Mojoto mint, lemon balm, lemon mint, rosemary, pineapple sage, lots of lettuce, kale, nasturtium, 4 peppers and 29 tomato plants (I may have gone a little over board), all but 3 tomato plants were from seed. Hoping to finish up the rest of the garden this week which should go pretty quick as just about everything left is seeds. 

Planted our front door flower pots. Tried the "thriller, spiller and filler method" with the artistic suggestions from my youngest daughter. In this method, there's one tall, eye-catcher, a creeping/vine variety and a species that fills in nicely - all in the same pot! We are hoping get bigger, as long as the deer stay off them.

We attempted to find morels on 2 hikes in the area, but were disappointed. We can't even seem to find any remnants of where they were picked. But lucky we spotted ramps. Everyone in the family helped harvest 2 shopping bags full. The final weight was 2 and a half pounds after removing the leaves and roots. Look for our next post on spotting and using ramps.

 

Here is what else you might have missed for the week:

Blanching Tutorial

What's blanching? And why all the fuss?

Blanching is the process of placing fresh vegetables in boiling water or steam for a very short time amount of time to "seal in freshness".

This process is a must if you desire to freeze your produce. By not blanching your vegetables you are loosing texture, color and flavor. Blanching not only cleans the vegetable but helps it to not to loose deliciously healthy vitamins and minerals.

The best way to prepare your vegetables for freezing is to use the boiling water method. You can use a blancher or large saucepan with a wire basket to fit in the pot or large slotted spoon. Personally, I use a large pot and a wok spoon.

Boiling Water Blanching: 

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. 
2. Prepare your vegetables by chopping or slicing. 
3. Place approximately 1 pound of the same vegetables into the blanching basket. 
4. Place vegetables into the boiling water for the recommended branching time.
5. Return the water to a boil as quick as possible. 
6. Start your blanching time as soon as the water returns to a boil. 
7. Remove the vegetables from the boiling water when the blanching time is completed with a wire stainer. 
8. Place the blanched vegetables into a large bowl of ice cold water, 60ºF or below. This stops the cooking process. 
9. Once the vegetables have cooled, you can drain the ice cold water. 
10. Label your freezer-grade plastic zipper bags with name of the vegetables and the date. 
11. Place blanched vegetables in plastic bag. Try to squeeze out as much air as possible. 
12. Freeze your bag laying flat, to maximize your freezer space. 

Per Nation Center for Home Preservation, blanching the vegetables for the recommended times below is important to preserve your harvest. If you don't blanch long enough, this can stimulate the enzymes in the vegetable to accelerate ripening. If you blanch too long, the vegetables can loose color, flavor, vitamins and minerals.

Blanching Time:

Vegetable	Minutes
Artichoke (heart)	7
Asparagus	2 to 4
Beans- Snap, Green, or Wax	3
Beans- Lima, Butter, or Pinto	2 to 4
Broccoli	5
Brussel Sprouts (head)	3 to 5
Carrots	2 to 5
Cauliflower (flowerets)	3
Celery	3
Corn (on-the-cob)	7 to 11
Corn (kernel)	4
Eggplant	4
Mushrooms	3 to 5
Okra	3 to 4
Peas (edible pod)	1.5 to 3
Peas (blackeye)	2
Peas- Green	1.5
Peppers-Sweet	2 to 3
Potatoes (new)	3 to 5
Rutabagas 3	3
Soybeans- Green	5
Spinach	15 seconds
Squash- Summer	3
Turnips or Parsnips	2
Zucchini	3

Note: Microwave streaming is not an effective method for blanching because the vegetables can cook unevenly and some enzymes may still be active and cause additional ripening.

Morel & Asparagus Quiche

Spring is in full swing and glimpses of summer are sneaking through around here. This recipe captures the harvests of this time of year and combines them into a very special recipe you will love.

Morel & Asparagus Quiche
Ingredients:

• 1 pie tin

• 1 pre-made pie crust
• 
3/4 cup shredded cheese
 (used mozzarella)
• 6 eggs

• 1 cup of milk

• 1/2 tablespoon thyme 

• 1/2 tablespoon basil

• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon Parmesan cheese
• 1 1/2 cup of uncooked morel mushrooms, chopped 

• 6-8 spears of asparagus, cut into 1 inch pieces
• 1/2 cup fresh spinach, chopped


Directions:

• If you are using fresh morels, check out our prior post on how to prepare morels.
• Preheat the oven to 350° F.
• Sauté morels over medium heat for 10 minutes. Always cook morels! 
• Place shredded cheese into the bottom of the pie crust.
• In a large bowl whisk together eggs, milk, thyme, basil, onion powder and Parmesan cheese.
• Add morels, asparagus and spinach to egg mixture. Stir to combine.
• Pour into pie crust.
• Bake in the oven for 30-45 minutes until the top is golden brown and the eggs are solid in the middle. (You could check this with a toothpick or a fork).

Click for more homemade recipes from Sustainable Blessings.

Garden Update: Week of 5/11/2014

Last year brought much change around our house and with these changes brought less time to tend to the garden. This year we have been working hard to allow me (Michelle) more time to be with my girls and garden! With this new focus, I have decided to dedicate more time for the yard. So we are starting to keep track of all the work we are doing around here.

Check out our past week:

We have had a wild weather week. It rained and then rained some more. There were a few days of severe thunderstorms and flash flooding. And... a frost warning too just to keep thing interesting. Our weather radio got a workout this past week, but all is well at our house.  Gotta love Wisconsin weather!

We picked up a new bird bath. This was my Mother's Day gift, plus breakfast in bed with roses!

Right on que the tulips decided to bloom on Mother's Day. That was a gift in itself.

We started to see Hummingbirds! So it was time to fill up the hummingbird feeder with homemade hummingbird nectar.  Our feeder is right outside our kitchen bay window, so we get to see the hummingbirds quite often. Here is our Homemade Hummingbird Nectar recipe.

The yard got some much needed attention. Ron has been busy with sweeping, aerating and seeding the lawn. A much need task as a drought several years ago left a few bare areas that we have pretty much ignored.

We tried to rototill the garden but the rototiller had other plans... The handlebar snapped off after just a few passes in the garden. So my jack-of-all-trades husband welded and grinded the pieces back together and strengthened the other handle too. Then the garden did get rototilled!

There were a few surprises discovered in the garden.  We had a some wintered over vegetables and herbs. There are onions (guess we forget to harvest a few), lettuce (because I let it go to seed last fall) and parsley back again.

Our first harvest took place this week. We harvested 10 ounces of asparagus. This may not seem like much but asparagus takes 2 years of growing before you even get to harvest it and this is our very first harvest ever! I can't wait for this patch to take off in the years to come.

Check out our recipe for Cream of Asparagus Soup to use up some of your harvest.

Happy gardening this coming week!

Garden Journaling

What did I plant here last year? When did I start planting my seeds inside? When will the raspberries be ready to be harvested?

These are all thoughts that can go through a gardener's head throughout the year. But now you can easily take the guess work out of gardening by keeping a gardening journal.

This can be as elaborate as you wish. For me, my garden journal is a simple spiral bound notebook I use year after year. A more elaborate design may include seed packets, plant markers from purchased plants, drawings or photographs.

What to write in your journal?

• The name of plants you grew from seed and when you planted them.
• The name of every plant you place in your garden and yard; perennial or annual. Note where the plants are placed in which planting bed or the direction of the yard.
• Any yard maintenance you did: placing mulch, making a new planting bed or trimming trees.
• Any problems with the weather or animal issues in the yard. 
• Draw out your vegetable garden design for the year. This helps you to rotate the types of plants placed every year which is beneficial for the soil and your harvest.
• A list of what is harvested when and how much or the weight of what was harvested. (this is my favorite part!) 
• An additional thing we keep track of is what and how much we freeze, dehydrate or can from the garden and when. 

Take your que from history, no one in America is better known for his garden journaling then Thomas Jefferson. He spent countless hours chronologizing the garden happenings at his beloved Monticello.

Image Credit: Thomas Jefferson Foundation

No occupation is so delightful to me as the culture of the Earth, and no culture comparable to that of the garden. - Thomas Jefferson

 

Preserving Morel Mushrooms

You found them! The elusive prized mushroom known as the... Morel Mushroom. Here is how to keep these prized beauties to enjoy them all year long.

There are a few maintenance things to be done before you enjoy your lucky finds.

• First things first...If there is any question about the type of mushroom you just picked, do not eat it! Check out my tutorial on how to find Morel Mushrooms.
  
• Secondly, be aware that morels contain small amounts of hydrazine toxin that is removed through cooking. Do not eat morel mushrooms raw, ever.
• And of course be aware the you just picked food from the ground, out in nature. That means not only is there dirt on the morel but there could also be other living things on it as well, like bugs or small slugs. To remove these items from the mushroom simply sprinkle them with salt and then cover with cold water. Place the mushrooms into the refrigerator for about 8 hours or overnight to remove anything unwanted.

On to how to prepare these gems. One of the best and simplest ways to enjoy morels is by gently sauteing them in butter with a little fresh ground pepper and a sprinkling of salt.

Or you could soak the mushrooms in an egg batter and bread them with flour, then fry them up. If you slice the mushroom length wise and then bread and flour, the outline resembles a fish. Another common name for morel mushrooms are dryland fish.

If you are not planning on eating your morels right away you can explore the following preserving ideas:

• Freezing:
• The morels can frozen through a method called flash freezing. You can do this by running the mushrooms under cold water or soaking them in a bowl of ice water for a few minutes. Then place them on a cookie sheet or pizza pan and place into a freezer. After the mushrooms are frozen, place them in a labeled container or freezer-safe plastic bag.
• Drying / Dehydrating: (the method I use most)
• Drying is the most popular method of long-term storage and are sold this in this fashion commercially. When I dry morels, I like to chop them prior to drying as then they will be recipe ready. 
• Place mushrooms in a single layer on the dehydrator pans. Set your dehydrator to 130° F for 10-12 hours.
• Dried morels can be reconstituted by soaking in warm water or milk.
• Canning:
• Canning is not recommended because the canning pressure and temperature destroys much of the flavor.

In a post coming soon is a delicious recipe for using your morels.

Jalapeño Popper Dip

Do you like jalapeño poppers? This dip blends the hot pepper into a warm and creamy appetizer perfect for your next event. And it's a great way to use any pickled jalapeños or dehydrated jalapeños you may have from your garden.

Jalapeño Popper Dip

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons dried jalapeños (rehydrate with 1/4 cup water)
  (OR 1/4 cup diced pickled jalapeños)
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 2 - 8 ounce blocks cream cheese or Neufchâtel cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup minced onion
• 1 clove minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons bread crumbs

Instructions:

• Combine softened cream cheese and mayo well. Stir in jalapeños, onion and garlic.
• Spread in an oven-proof baking dish (used a medium sized dish).
• Sprinkle top of dip with bread crumbs.
• Bake at 350° F for 20 minutes.
• Serve warm with crackers or corn chips.

Enjoy!  Click for more homemade recipes from Sustainable Blessings. 

Homemade Croutons

Add crunch to your next salad with this simple recipe. Save your day-old bread and make delicious homemade croutons. Customize this savory recipe to your liking with your own blend of seasonings.

Croutons

Ingredients
2 tablespoons butter, melted
2 tablespoons olive oil
8 cups of day old bread, cubed

Italian Seasoning
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon basil
1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions
Preheat oven to 400° F.
In a large mixing bowl combine all ingredients. Stir until combined and bread is coated well.
Place crouton mixture onto a large baking pan.
Bake for 15 - 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Stirring every 5 minutes.
Allow to cool. Store in air tight container and use within 2 weeks.

Makes 8 cups.

Helpful Tip:
When your bread is getting too dried out, cut it into cubes and place in a plastic bag in the freezer. Once a large gallon bag is full, you are ready to make the croutons.

Enjoy!  Click for more homemade recipes from Sustainable Blessings.

Golden Mexican Rice

Replace prepackaged rice mix with this simple homemade recipe. Chicken broth and seasonings give this rice its distinct taste and namesake. My family loves to top the Golden Mexican Rice with taco fixings or add the recipe to crunchy tacos to make the meat stretch further (even the picky eater likes tacos this way).

Golden Mexican Rice

Ingredients
3 cups uncooked white or brown rice
6 tablespoons butter
2 cups chicken broth
3 1/2 cups water
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon taco seasoning

Instructions
Sauté rice with butter for 5 minutes, until lightly browned.
In large microwaveable dish; combine chicken broth, water and seasonings. Stir in rice mixture.
Microwave covered, on high power for 15 minutes.
Then reduce heat to 50% power for another 12 minutes.
Fluff with fork prior to serving.

Enjoy!  Click for more homemade recipes from Sustainable Blessings.

Morel Mushroom Hunting

With the passage of winter comes wet soggy ground, which are perfect conditions for mushroom growth. In our area there is one mushroom that creates a mad dash to collect it: the Morel.

This beauty was growing in our raspberry patch.

This mushroom is one of the greats! Morel mushrooms can be hard to find and have a short window of time for harvesting. The work is worth it, they are very flavorful and thus used in many tasty gourmet recipes.

If you know where to look, you can find them for free! Just think that this delicacy could be growing in your area, just waiting for the picking. Here are a few helpful tips for you to succeed on your mushroom hunt.

Be Safe
Be aware that morels contain small amounts of hydrazine toxin that is removed through cooking.
Do not eat morel mushrooms raw, ever.

Always be 100% certain of the edible type of mushroom you pick as they often have look alikes that can be poisonous. When in doubt, throw it out - do not eat.

ForagingGuide.com is a very helpful site with background on Morel mushrooms and best times of year to go looking, and what to look for.

Know the Morel's characteristics
Morels are very distinctive mushrooms that have a honeycomb-like upper portion with ridges with pits between them. The coloring range from yellow to gray-black in color, depending on the variety you find. Here in Southeastern Wisconsin, we have mostly yellow or black morels.

The best places to find Morels
Morels are commonly found under deciduous trees (trees that have leaves). If the tree is dead or dying it is all the better for morel hunting. Trees to look for are ash, oak, cottonwoods or old apple trees. These are not strict rules on where to find morels. Keep your eyes open when hunting, we had 2 morels growing on southern (sunny) side of our house right out in the grass.

Harvesting
Gently hold the base of the mushroom and twist off the ground. Or you can cut the mushroom at the ground level. Note that you do not want to take the roots. You will not want to eat the soil covered root and by leaving the root behind, some people believe that more morels will grow there in the future. And keep your spot a secret so others don't beat you to the goods next season!

Happy Hunting!

Making Birthdays Special

 Birthdays! No matter what your age, you have to love how special they can make you feel. At our house, we do several birthday traditions every year that create not only good feelings, but memories too. And the good news is we've found it doesn't cost much at all to make someone smile.

Fairies aren't just for teeth.
We have a birthday fairy to come to visit the night prior to the birthday. She leaves a trail of confetti to the birthday presents, decorates the bedroom door of the birthday girl or boy and leaves balloons. 

Wear a happy hat.
Birthday hats are a fun way to add a little silliness to the day. We have been using the same pack of a few years now. I just place them out next to the birthday presents.

Fancy-up a special meal.
Growing up, I remember my Mom always letting us use a special plate at the time of our birthday dinner. The plate is Waechtersbach's You're Special Today plate. And it really did make me feel special. Just last year I was able to find this plate at a rummage sale for a great deal!

Be in the moment.
There is always talk of what time my girls were born and where. A fun way to celebrate their moment of birth is to set a timer set to go off at the time of birth. You could celebrate with hugs and comment on how much bigger they feel.

Have your day, your way.
In our house, another way we celebrate birthdays is to pick what you want for dinner. The meal could be homemade or a modest restaurant. We have done dinner's out to Baked Macaroni and Cheese for dinner. 

My girls celebrating their birthdays together. Only 4 calendar days apart.

Just simple routine things, like opening up presents around the same time of the day, every year, can make your next birthday run a little smoother and create traditions. We always let the kids open up there presents first thing in the morning, while they are still in their pajamas. Usually we get up about 15 minutes earlier but the kids (and adults) love it.

Happy Birthday to you!

Dying Easter Eggs With Food Coloring

Spring is finally here and Easter is coming! And that means it's time to dye the eggs! This is a fun activity for the whole family, although, be sure to provide some guidance with the little ones around the dye.

Fun Fact:
The egg symbolizes new life and our rebirth in the spring time, just like through the sacrifice of Jesus giving us a new life through God's forgiveness of all our sins. But why dye the egg? In history eggs would be dyed red to represent the blood Christ shed for us. The egg can also represent the tomb where Jesus was laid after his crucifixion. The hard shell can be removed like the sealed tomb was opened on Easter morning.

The following is a traditional account of how my family dyes Easter eggs. 

Egg Dye Made With Food Coloring
(This recipe yields one cup of colored dye.)

Ingredients:
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon white vinegar
liquid food coloring
hard-boiled eggs

In a small cup (we have always used coffee mugs), mix together water at room temperature, vinegar and several drops of food coloring. I used about 20 drops of color in each mug, but you can adjust this however you like for a deeper or lighter color.

Prepare several different colors in this way.

Carefully place one egg in each cup of food coloring. After a few seconds, roll the egg to ensure the it's completely covered with dye equally on all sides. Watch the eggs, then carefully remove them when they reach the desired shade. Use a spoon to remove the egg and place it in an egg carton or on a paper towel to dry.

For extra decoration:
Decorate the eggs with crayons prior to dying.
Decorate the eggs with small stickers.

Homemade Chicken Broth

Homemade chicken broth is not only frugal, but easy to make after your are done with your next whole chicken recipe.  This recipe can be made following Crock Pot Whole Chicken. Here are two alternative methods for making your own homemade chicken broth.

 

Chicken Broth

Ingredients:
All the drippings, scraps and bones from a whole chicken
10 cups water, (or enough to cover the bones)
1/4 cup salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon celery seeds
1/2 teaspoon whole peppercorns
2 bay leaves

Crock Pot Method:

1. Place all ingredients in crock pot. 
2. Cook on high for 6 hours. 
3. Strain broth through a fine strainer or cheesecloth.
4. Allow to cool.
5. Freeze in ice cube trays or in pint mason jars. (If freezing in mason jars, leave 1 inch of space at the top of the jar to account of any expansion of the broth.)

Stove Top Method:

1. Place all ingredients in stove-top pot. 
2. Bring water to a boil. 
3. Simmer for 2 hours.  
4. Strain broth through a fine strainer or cheesecloth. 
5. Allow to cool.
6. Freeze in ice cube trays or in pint mason jars. (If freezing in mason jars, leave 1 inch of space at the top of the jar to account of any expansion of the broth.)

Organizating Food For Meal Planning

Here it is again...  Dinner Time! This happens every day at the same time. Why does this daily event so often catch us unprepared?

Enter meal planning... But where to start?

Knowing where the food is in the house can be half the battle in meal planning. If you know what you have, then you can know what you can use to make meals for your family and those you love.

I have several areas in the home that we keep our "stockpile". I organize my food by placing frequently used foods in the kitchen cabinets and small pantry that we have. We have a normal refrigerator up stairs, in the kitchen. The extra food is placed on storage shelves in our basement
... our stockpile.

Also in the stockpile are all my canning successes! There is also a chest freezer in the basement we use mostly for meats, frozen fruits and vegetables.

When the cabinets and freezer are looking full, I thank God for all the rich blessings he has given us! But I have to admit, it is hard to see past all those bags and boxes in the freezer which can get a little overwhelming. Hence the need to organize.

I will make a simple food list of what we have on hand. Your list can be handwritten, or if you are a organization geek like me... consider creating a sortable spreadsheet on the computer. I simply list the locations of where the food is kept as the header of each column and then fill in the food below. I add an area to mark off the food as I use it up.

When I am done,  I am always surprised that there is enough food for several meals right here at home! We just needed to know where it was at.

So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.  - 1 Corinthians 10:31

I also keep a running list of frequently enjoyed meals to gather inspiration from. Here are some meal suggestions that we love to make:

• Balsamic Pot Roast
• Tater Tot Casserole
• Chicken Parmigiana
• Crock Pot Whole Chicken with Mashed Potatoes
• Spaghetti with Sweet Spaghetti Sauce
• Baked Macaroni and Cheese
• Marinara Pasta Bake
• Broccoli and Cheese Soup
• Tacos made with Taco Seasoning 
• Tuna Noodle Casserole

Indoor Seed Planning and Planting

The snow is melting! The birds are chirping!

Another winter is almost behind us and spring is just around the corner. Here in Wisconsin, our winter has been brutal. There were far too many days where a Polar Vortex brought arctic temps down our way forcing many to stay-in and bundled up... even more than usual!

But there is a glimmer of hope in all this cold... it is time to start planning your garden.

First thing's first... There is no point in planting seeds for a plant which is not going to thrive in your area. Don't know which zone you fall into? Check out this helpful planting zone map to get the scoop on what plants fair well in your region. Ours is Zone 5b.


Now on to the fun part of picking out the seeds for your future garden and imagining all the delicious food you can make. Take an inventory of any seeds you didn't plant last year, beware as they may not grow. We have, however, done this in the past with mixed success.

If you are in need of some seeds... You can check out your local garden center.
Or my favorite is to order from Botanical Interests seed catalog. In my opinion, this is a great source for quality, high-yielding seeds. Plus we love getting the catalog in the dead of winter.

If you're just starting to learn how to grow indoors, your may want to pick some plants that are easy to start from seed:

• Vegetables - Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Leeks, Lettuce, Onions, Peppers and Tomatoes.
• Herbs - Basil and Chives.
• Annuals - Alyssum, Cosmos, Marigolds and Zinnias.
• Perennials - Shasta Daisies, Columbines and Hollyhocks.

Here is what we have planned to start indoors for the 2014 season:

Broccoli
Lettuce - Romaine
Onion - Ringmaster
Pepper Chile - Early Jalapeño
Quinoa - Brightest Brilliant Rainbow
Tomato - Principe Borghese
Tomato - Red Siberian
Watermelon - Moon & Stars

Let's get planting.
The back of the seed packet usually specifies how many weeks to begin seeds indoors prior to the last frost in your region. Check out my tutorial on starting seeds indoors for step-by-step instructions.

Crock Pot "Refried" Pinto Beans

Great refried beans are the glue that holds a great burrito or taco together!

You would be surprised to learn how affordable this simple fat-free recipe is to make and the results are much better the store-bought canner version.  There are also very versatile as a substitution ingredient for meat.

Crock Pot "Refried" Beans

2 pounds dried pinto beans
8 cups water
2 cups beef or vegetable broth
3 tablespoons minced garlic
1/4 cup taco seasoning
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons salt

Combine ingredients in crock pot. Turn crock pot on High setting, cook for 4 hours. Then turn crock pot down to Low setting for 2 hours.

I discarded one cup of water prior to mashing beans. I used a submersion blender to combine. The consistency resulted in a slight more watery consistency than the canned version.

To freeze:
Mark a quart freezer bag with title of food and date.
Turn back the upper lip of the bag to make it stay open easier. Place opened bag into a liquid measuring cup. I used a 2 cup measuring cup. Then fill the bag with the refried beans until about the 2 cup mark.
Press as much air out of the bag as possible and seal. Freeze bags laying down, then can be stored upright.

Peanut Butter Cup Dip

Nothing like having dessert first!

This dip is truly a treat in itself and a fun appetizer. It is a great for a big crowd as you can mix and match your dipping foods.

Peanut Butter Cup Dip

8 ounce cream cheese or Neufchâtel cheese, softened
1/2 cup peanut butter butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
3 Tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt
2.5 ounces bag of Reese's Minis (the already unwrapped bites)
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips

In a stand mixer, beat together cream cheese and peanut butter until smooth. Add in the brown sugar. Add cocoa powder, flour, vanilla, salt and milk. Mix until smooth. Add the powdered sugar slowly. Mix until smooth again.
Mix in the Reese's Minis and the chocolate chips.

Serve with Nilla wafers and / or pretzels.

Refrigerate any leftovers (if there are any)!

Footsteps

Footprints is one of my favorite poems. When life just seems to be too much to handle, I often think about God "carrying me" through whatever problem is heavy on my heart. With each of us safely in the arms of Christ, he will always deliver us on safe side of our problems.

One night I dreamed a dream...

As I was walking along the beach with my Lord.

Across the dark sky flashed scenes from my life.

For each scene, I noticed two sets of footprints in the sand,

One belonging to me and one to my Lord. 

After the last scene of my life flashed before me, 

I looked back at the footprints in the sand. 

I noticed that at many times along the path of my life,

especially at the very lowest and saddest times,

there was only one set of footprints. 

This really troubled me, so I asked the Lord about it.

"Lord, you said once I decided to follow you,

You'd walk with me all the way.

But I noticed that during the saddest and 

most troublesome times of my life,

there was only one set of footprints.

I don't understand why, when I needed you the most, 

You would leave me." 

He whispered, 

"My precious child, I love you and will never leave you

Never, ever, during your trials and testings.

When you saw only one set of footprints,

It was then that I carried you."

- Author Unknown

Below is a link to Josh Wilson's song "Carry Me". He did not write this song based on the poem but my mind always leads me to the chorus of the song when I am in need of being carried.

Chicken Dumpling Soup

Need a easy comfort soup for that really cold winter day? Try chicken dumpling soup that you can make in your crock pot! Don't let the dumplings intimate you, they are very simple to make.

Chicken Dumpling Soup

1 1/2 pounds chicken, diced, boneless and skinless (any cut will do)
6 cups chicken broth
1 cup carrot, diced
1 cup onion, diced
1/2 cup celery, diced
1 Tablespoons garlic powder
1 Tablespoon parsley, dried
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

dumplings:
2 eggs
1/2 cup water
1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder

Combine chicken, broth, carrots, onion and celery in your crock pot. Stir in garlic powder, parsley, salt and pepper. Turn crock pot on to the high setting for 6 hours.

About 30 minutes before the crock pot is done, start mixing up the dumplings. Combine eggs and water in a mixer on the low setting. Start adding flour in small amounts until combined. Add in salt and baking powder. Mix well. Using a teaspoon, drop spoonfuls of batter into the hot soup. Allow soup to cook for another 10-15 minutes before serving.

Serve with crackers. Enjoy!

Beer Cheese Pretzel Dip

With football season in full swing (my Packers made the playoffs this year!), snacks are a must with watching the big game. This dip is a great crowd pleaser and makes a good amount.

Beer Cheese Pretzel Dip:

2 - 8 ounce blocks cream cheese or Neufchâtel cheese, softened
1 package of dry ranch seasoning packet
4 ounces of beer (personal preference is a blonde beer)
2 cups finely shredded cheddar cheese (prefer sharp cheddar)
Pretzels or any other food you want to pair the dip with

Mix cream cheese and ranch packet in stand mixer at low setting. Slowly pour in beer until mix. Add shredded cheese and continue mixing until combined.

Serve after chilled with pretzel twists.

2013 Year In Review

First of all THANK YOU! I am beyond excited that you have chosen to read our blog.
2013 brought a dream into reality, with the birth of Sustainable Blessings.

Thought it would be fun to look back on all that has happened both on the website and in our yard this year.

Here is a listing of the most popular posts in 2013:



 1. Taco Sauce

2. Amish Friendship Starter

3. Pickled Jalapeño Peppers

4. Homemade Ketchup

5. Dandelion Jelly

Here is a recap of what we grew in 2013:

This year I started weighing the harvests from our garden and yard. Unfortuately, I have not weighted the years prior but I do think we did great!

Basil: 0.9 ounces, plus harvests that I didn't weight. Only had 2 small plants this year.
Beans - Green: 6 pounds 0.75 ounces
Cilantro: Grew great!
Corn - Sweet: 16 pounds 12 ounces. Finally the racoons did not get our crop!
Cucumber: 11 pounds 5.35 ounces
Dandelion Petals: 3.1 ounces. Picked for Dandelion Jelly.
Garlic Mustard: 2.5 ounces. Picked for pesto.
Mulberry: 17 pounds 10.5 ounces. What a suprise to find 2 trees in our yard this year!
Mushroom - Morel: 1.5 ounces. Granted I only found 2 mushrooms... but I was so excited that they grew in our yard! What a treat!
Onion - White: 1 pound 2.5 ounces
Oregano: 0.2 ounces, plus 2 huge bunches that we dried.
Parsley: Grew great but never weighed any.
Pear: 118 pounds 6 ounces
Pea - Sugar Snap: 4.3 ounces. This was a sad little crop. Too bad, since I love Sugar Snap Peas.
Pepper - Green: 1 pound 14.25 ounces. We got lots of peppers but they were very small.
Pepper - Jalapeño: 2 pounds 6 ounces. Grew great! Loved the Pickled Jalapeños we made.
Potato - Red: 3 pounds 1.5 ounces
Potato - Yukon Gold: 2 pounds 8.75 ounces
Pumpkin: 81 pounds 9.2 ounces. Wow! All this from 2 plants.
Raspberry: 1 pound 1.25 ounces
Rhubarb: 1 pound 9.5 ounces
Rosemary: Grew well. I this plant comes back in 2014!
Sage - Pineapple: Delicous but did not weigh. Made the garden smell great!
Strawberry: 3 ounces
Stevia: This was a new plant to our garden. Was a great addition to our sun tea.
Tomato: 39 pounds 8.4 ounces. Frost hit us in mid October, which left us with lots of green tomatoes.
Watermelon: 125 pounds 12.4 ounces. The heaviest harvest of the year!


Total Weight Harvested in 2013...... 433 pounds 3.5 ounces!