Making Vanilla Extract!

Vanilla Beans from Amazon, Vodka made from grapes (not grain or potatoes), sharp knife, instructions from Surviving the Stores.

Slice vanilla bean lengthwise.

Make sure to open up the pod a bit.

Pour out some of the vodka, and begin placing cut beans into bottle.

New vanilla compared with 4 month old vanilla.


Place in a dark corner of your pantry. Shake every few days.

When ready (from 3 to 6 months) pour into old vanilla bottles. :)
Top off the bottle with more vodka. Some cooks have been topping their vanilla extract off with vodka for 10 years or more. We shall see.

Canning madness

Making Apple Butter


Strawberry Jam


Canning


Dehyrdating


Blueberries


Mangos


Ice chest and totes full of frozen fruit!

Happy Independance Day Folks!

Enjoy the weekend, take time to learn more about it's meaning! Wake up and Remember!

As John Adams said in a letter to his dear wife Abigail dated July 3rd, 1776:

The Second Day of July 1776, will be the most memorable Epocha, in the History of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival. It ought to be commemorated, as the Day of Deliverance by solemn Acts of Devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more. You will think me transported with Enthusiasm but I am not. I am well aware of the Toil and Blood and Treasure, that it will cost Us to maintain this Declaration, and support and defend these States. Yet through all the Gloom I can see the Rays of ravishing Light and Glory. I can see that the End is more than worth all the Means. And that Posterity will tryumph in that Days Transaction, even altho We should rue it, which I trust in God We shall not. (The Book of Abigail and John: Selected Letters of the Adams Family, 1762-1784, Harvard University Press, 1975, 142).

Wisdom

I had to share this wisdom from DH. I about fell out.

and I quote:

"I don't whine or complain. I inform with flair."

Pantry cooking - Yet another Salmon Recipe

Here's another we tired from the "100 day Pantry" from Jan Jackson. Of course we changed them up a bit. I used a 14.5oz can of salmon, used 1/2 cup fresh sour cream instead of the sour cream powder, 3/4 cup regular celery instead of dried and added 1 tsp of garlic powder. I used the crockpot, because who has time to watch the stove for 4 hours?

Creamy Salmon Chowder
Serves 4

2 (14oz) cans chicken broth
2 (5oz) cans salmon, undrained
1 (15oz) can corn, undrained
3/4 cup whole wheat berries
1/2 cup sour cream powder
1/2 cup dried celery
1/2 cup dried onion
1 Tbsp dill weed

Directions:
In a medium pot, whisk sour cream powder into chicken broth. Add remaining ingredients. Simmer on low until wheat is tender (4 hours on stovetop or 8 hours in crock pot).

Pantry cooking - Salmon Recipe

Hello, hello. I modified this recipe from the book "The 100-day Pantry" from Jan Jackson. Of course I made a few changes. Instead of simmering the noodles in broth, I cooked them with water. I also used a 14.5oz can of salmon and 8oz of pasta shells. (Get it? Fish and shells?) It was an easy recipe to cook out of the pantry.

Salmon Noodle Casserole
6oz noodles
1 (14oz) can vegetable broth
1-2 (6oz) cans salmon with juice
1 (6oz) can mushrooms, drained
1 (15oz) can green beans, drained
1 (10oz) can cream of mushroom soup
1 tsp onion flakes
1 tsp parsley flakes
1 tsp dill weed
1/8 tsp pepper

Directions
Simmer noodles in broth until softened. Drain, reserving liquid. Add all other ingredients and stir together. If mixture is too think, add in liquid from noodles. Spread mixture in a sprayed 8x8 pan.Bake @ 350F for 25 minutes.

Headaches, Migraines.. My self-help list.

Purpose: To help myself and others with migraines. I find that I forget to try each of these things that have proven in the past to stamp out a migraine.

History: My migraines started with a head injury when I was 18. In the past they have taken me out for 3 to 4 days, required intense and expensive medicines, and few times an Emergency Room visit. For years I have been on preventive medicines such as ones for blood pressure, depression, seizures. Each one has other side effects and over time my headaches return.

Migraine Triggers:
MSG - Monosodium Glutamate - It's in everything.
Stress
Lack of caffeine (I need to fix this habit!)
Not enough sleep
Neck muscle over-exertion
Bright lights
Flashing lights
Strong smells

My fixes:
Icepack placed on the back of neck
Heat on temple
Lavender and Peppermint essential oils compress
Submerging hands in hot water
Caffeine with Tylenol
Lying down after Tylenol
Controlled breathing
Dark room with little noise

Outcome:
Sometimes my headache/migraine gets too intense and I am unable to speak, let alone think. So, I have put this list on a sticky note on my bedside table. This enables Mr. D. to walk through the methods and help me to banish the headache. They don't always work and we have to resort to heavy migraine medications. I can say that I haven't had to go to the Emergency Room in over 6 years though!

Hope this helps someone out there.

CSA week 3

Here's a picture of my produce this week.

I picked these up on Thursday. That night I cleaned and chopped all the turnip greens and Bok Choy. I put them in produce bags in the fridge. I sliced the radishes and baked them. Today I am working on the rest.

So, I am processing and cooking up the Radish greens, Mustard greens, Turnip greens. My good friend Charlene told me I could blanch the greens and then freeze them. This way I can process them all and add ham or a turkey leg when I am ready to eat them. How smart is that?

Christa.

CSA week two

Some of the lettuce we got this week.

How does your garden grow?

I have my first tomato turning red! Of course I had to share!

Cooking therapy..

Major migraine today... Pulled off dinner though..

It was some great curry off of allrecipes.com. I've linked the recipe. Therapy was in the fresh ginger. Seems it has some anti-nausea properties. Nice indeed.

CSA - Week 2

I don't have much time to post. But, I wanted to give an update on my CSA order for week 2. It is much the same as week 1. CSA is Community Supported Agriculture. My CSA is Home Sweet Farm and here is their website. They also offer chicken, milk, cheese, eggs, and more with their deliveries.

We got 2 bags of fresh greens this week. This included mustard green, arugula, a bunch of radishes in various colors, chinese lettuce, and 2 types of butter lettuce.

Last week I made radish chips in the oven, boiled the mustard greens, sautéed the arugula, and ate lots of salad. Looks like I'll be having a lot of salad this week too!

I will post pictures next week!

Busyness or Business

Have you ever noticed how close these words are.

I can be busy with business. Hmmm. It makes my head tilt with how much there is to stay busy with.

What is on your to-do list lately?

...I think what is on your list is on mine too.

Christa

Test post

Testing posting from remote.
Thanks!

Loving life!

So much going on. Wish I had time to expand!

Raven Audio - Logo

Christmas preparing..

Jams and Jellies are made..
Baked brownies, bread, and cookies..
Made fudge, muddy buddies, and hot cocoa mix..
Packaged the above items and made them into beautiful gifts..
Delivered 29 packaged baskets..

Now it is time to breathe..

Merry Christmas Y'all!

Current Projects

I have a few projects stirring in the pot at the moment:

Homemade vanilla

Dotted landscapes.. See my newest art below

Whole house design and decorating for a very blessed Air Force Wife

Canning/Dehydrating 220 lbs of frozen fruit

Cleaning up fall and pulling out Christmas

Baking up goodies for 2 awesome deployed Air Force men

Starting the baking list for the Office Christmas baskets

Crafting up 100+ Christmas cards

Whew. I leave for Denver this week and I hope I am able to get some things crossed off this list.
Speaking of decorating and designing for a new couple, do you have any quick, frugal ideas that I can put together in a week and/or take it with me on the plane?

Sunday Biking

We found our bikes in the garage this week! To celebrate, we took them out for a spin.

We attached them to the car and went for breakfast then rode our bikes home. It was perfect for our weekend out-and-about!

Krav Maga

I twittered the start of our Krav Maga journey. David and I went for the orientation
and fell in love with the concept.

We are into week 3 and I am loving it. It is very empowering to know
how to handle yourself in a self-defense situation. We are currently doing 2 hours a week and I hope to add another hour by the end of November.

One thing I learned this week: the Hebrew word for Fire = אש = pronounced: Esh