It is a delightful thing when kids learn to cook

Janai did very well with her first pie every!  It was a big hit!

Homemade Superfood

This taste awesome and it is so easy to make.  Easier if you have a Vitamix so not real sure how it will mix in any other type of mixer but it doesn't hurt to try!  We seem to be on the run ALL the time and I really hate stopping for a snack in order to tie us over until we get home so this is GREAT for on the go.  Just grab some spoons and go.  A good size spoonful usually does the trick until we can make it home for REAL food!

I take each of the following in these amounts:

1 Cup peanuts

1 Cup cashews

1 Cup sunflower seeds

About 1/8 cup chia seeds.  

A couple TB of whole flax seeds

1 large spoonful each of coconut oil and honey

First put nuts in jar then add the other ingredients on top and blend on high using a tapper to keep tapping it down towards the blades.  It usually takes about a minute.  

Place in a jar and enjoy!  NOTE: You can add whatever you want if these ingredients don't work for you!  Whatever seeds, fats, or sweetener you prefer!  Anything goes!  I use it in the same way any nut butter is used.  Smoothies, sandwiches, cookies, etc.  

While I'm on the subject of cookbooks!

I have my unnecessary favorites! Heritage of America is awesome. I think your best bet us to search your library. I found this one at a thrift store a few years ago. It not only has awesome recipes from all over the country old and new it also serves as a sort of history book. I love it!

Another not so necessary cookbook is this one that only portrays cupcakes!  Oh so irresistible! 

And this one is just plain cool.  I found it hanging around my big sister's basement that is full of antiques. Unfortunately I don't have the time to commit myself to most of these recipes but one thing is for sure!  Those 1950's husbands were sure lucky!

Do you have a favorite cookbook?

Or rather, a favorite cookbook of necessity? One that stands the test of time, gets used over and over, and needs to get replaced several times! Four times to be exact. I bought my first copy probably 20 years ago. This one shown is the fourth, and it is showing the wear! I love it! Anyone else have a favorite, or a necessary favorite? I'd love to hear about it!

I knew this would be the reaction I would get!

While in the kitchen this morning one daughter came in and asked, "What's for breakfast mom?" At the time another daughter and I were mixing up a chocolate cake so I answered, "chocolate cake."

The response was one I knew I would get -- WHAT? CHOCOLATE CAKE FOR BREAKFAST?

Sure, why not? It's made of 100% spelt presoaked overnight in buttermilk, sweetened with rapadura, wholesome eggs, vanilla, baking soda, pure cocoa, and salt. Just like a pancake, right?

Daughter says - Yea, but still, plain chocolate cake?

I mixed up a bowl of whipping cream earlier if you want some of that on it OR you could have what I'm having which is -

this

turned into this.

After a peek into the blender she quickly chose the cake with cream! But in reality they had 7 grain cereal and the cake was saved for later!

The shake was made of 1 cup frozen organic strawberries, 1 cup homemade buttermilk, 1 T. chia seeds, 1/2 cup soaked 7 grain cereal, and 1/8 cup maple syrup

Cake was made from - soaking 3 cups spelt in 2 cups buttermilk overnight. Next day add to flour mixture 2 cups all natural sugar, 2 eggs, 1 cup butter, 1 teas. salt, 2 teas. baking soda and just over 1/2 cup cocoa or more if you like it stronger. Bake in 350 oven for 35 minutes.

Whipping cream - 1 pint cream - preferably organic or from milk, 3 T. raw natural sugar and 2 teas. vanilla. Mix until whipped and serve.

Eleven ways I get Chia Seeds into our diets

The amazing chia seed.

The Chia Seed is an amazing food. I cannot begin to tell you how downright nutritious it is! So I won't! But HERE is a link that will tell you all about them and probably even convince you to run out and purchase some for your family. Here are 10 ways in which I use them. I'm sure there are many more ways you can find because it's all about imagination.

Today I chose to put them into juice. I could purchase truck loads of the real thing as shown below but that's not gonna happen! It is far cheaper and just as healthy to put them into juice as I have chose to do today!

You could put them into your homemade kombucha quite easily enough!

I took some empty kombucha and kevita jars (which works great by the way), used a funnel to place 4 TB. Chia Seed into each, then I filled with the juice. They will sit in my fridge for several hours to overnight depending on how crunchy a child decides they want the seeds. That's it. And you will get amazing benefits from this simple mixture.

10 more ways to use CS

1. When I presoak my oatmeal the night before I had 1 C. seed to 4 C. oatmeal, seven grain or nine grain cereal.

2. A favorite buttermilk, yogurt, or kefir/fruit smoothie

3. Let stand in a quart of milk overnight and pour over your favorite cereal.

4. Add into your flour as you make bread, muffins, pancakes, etc.

5. Add them to your favorite soup.

6. Sprinkle over yogurt.

7. Sprinkle onto pizza.

8. Mix into casseroles or quiches.

9. Sprinkle a T. onto the cheese next time you make grilled cheese sandwiches.

10. Add into meatloaf or sprinkle into ground meat as you cook it.

Can you think of other ways this seed can be used in our everyday diet? I would love to hear other ideas. The ways are endless I'm sure.

Buttermilk, Yoghurt, Creme Fraiche, and Pizza

I'm trying to decide which of the 3 I prefer using in my kitchen. For sweets and delicate tasting dishes the creme fraiche can't be beat. For smoothies and soaking my whole grains in I have to go with the buttermilk and yoghurt! Either way, cultured raw milk products are so, so good for our bodies. I make all 3 products from our abundance of raw milk and the money saved, especially in the yoghurt department is so awesome. I made this half gallon of yoghurt for less $2.oo. That is way cheap compared to the store!

In order from left to right:yoghurt, buttermilk, creme fraiche, and pineapple, creme fraiche, and maple syrup "ice cream." The ice cream may be last, but oh man, is it ever delicious!

Homemade Yoghurt using Raw Milk

1/2 gallon milk heated to 110

pull out a 4 T. milk and mix with 2 T. plain yoghurt

add mixture to milk and add another 5 spoonfuls of plain yoghurt. P.our into very clean glass jar OR thermos and sit overnight in warm spot. I sit the jars of all three by our woodstove. (store bought milk can be used)

Buttermilk

One quart raw milk and 1 package starter (I get my starter here)

mix together well and sit in warm place overnight. (store bought milk can be used. Store bought buttermilk can be used as a culture as well. Add about 1/2 cup to a quart of milk and keep in warm place.)

Creme Fraiche

1 pint good quality cream

1 T. commerical or whole milk buttermilk, commercial creme fraiche, or some from previous batch. Mix both together and let sit from 12-24 hours or until thick.

Creme Fraiche (my favorite recipe and the one I use.)

3 Cups heavy, good quality cream

1 Cup organic sour cream

Mix together well and let sit in warm spot until thick. Usually 16 hours or so.

For the creme fraiche "ice cream" we mixed 2 cups creme fraiche, about 10 large chunks fresh pineapple, and 1/2 cup maple syrup. Mix well in blender and freeze.

Homemade whole wheat pizza using creme fraiche as sauce.

The night before prepare the crust by mixing together 3 Cups whole wheat, 1 stick softened butter, 1 cup yoghurt or buttermilk, and 2 teas. sea salt. Let sit in warm spot for 12-24 hours.

Sauce

2 cups creme fraiche

1/2 cup sundried tomato spread

2 T. crushed garlic sauteed in olive oil

1/2 cup feta cheese (only because I had it)

mix well and set aside.

Saute whatever veggies you like for only a short few minutes so as not to overcook them since they go in the oven for 10 minutes too. Just until they start to color. We used garlic, peppers, onions, mushrooms, and zucchini.

Prebake the crust for 20 minutes on 350. Let cool just a bit and spread on sauce, veggies, and your choice of cheese and bake another 10 minutes at 350!

Then enjoy! Complete the meal with your favorite drink!

Out-of-Door Life For The Children

I.––A Growing Time

Meals out of Doors.––People who live in the country know the value of fresh air very well, and their children live out of doors, with intervals within for sleeping and eating. As to the latter, even country people do not make full use of their opportunities. On fine days when it is warm enough to sit out with wraps, why should not tea and breakfast, everything but a hot dinner, be served out of doors? For we are an overwrought generation, running to nerves as a cabbage runs to seed; and every hour spent in the open is a clear gain, tending to the increase of brain power and bodily vigour, and to the lengthening of life itself. They who know what it is to have fevered skin and throbbing brain deliciously soothed by the cool touch of the air are inclined to make a new rule of life, Never be within doors when you can rightly be without.

Besides, the gain of an hour or two in the open air, there is this to be considered: meals taken al fresco are usually joyous, and there is nothing like gladness for converting meat and drink into healthy blood and tissue. All the time, too, the children are storing up memories of a happy childhood. Fifty years hence they will see the shadows of the boughs making patterns on the white tablecloth; and sunshine, children's laughter, hum of bees, and scent of flowers are being bottled up for after refreshment.-Charlotte Mason vol 1 page 43

Cook without Teflon

Since I joined Jillian Michaels online nearly 2 months ago I am amazed at how much I am learning. Not just about diet and exercise but matters that are important to all of us. Especially those of us with children in the home. Daily I am email tips, ideas, recipes, exercise plan, meal plan, etc. and I would like to share some of the tips that I feel is a matter of importance to each or our well being. Here is her tip on using Teflon cookware that I found quite interesting.

"Teflon, the nonstick cooking wonder that changed the way we looked at the traditional pan (and eventually every kitchen item in sight), turned out to be not so wondrous after all. When heated the chemicals in the signature Teflon coating can do some serious damage to your liver, thyroid, (causing hormonal malfunction), and immune system. For the sake of your health, toss those old Teflon pans - especially the ones whose coatings have begun to flake off - and use iron, porcelain,-coated, stainless steal, and glass cookware instead. For those who can't bear to give up their nonstick pans, there are several companies that have created eco-friendly nonstick cookware. No sticking, no chemicals, happy hormones - enough said." Jillian Michaels

While we are on the subject I would like to add my 2 cents on cast iron pans. I have used them for years and it's all I own besides some glass baking ware. They last forever, help keep my body in the right amount of iron from cooking them, and they clean up easy.~

Cooking with kids!

"Now it was time to check the oven to see if it had cooled enough to cook the pies. Mama had a special way to tell when it was cool enough!"~Little House by Boston Bay

By the time we finished reading this chapter my girls were quite decided on making pies!

They made blueberry and cherry. Needless to say everyone really enjoyed them!

How much milk is too much?

You can never have too much!! I love feeding gallons and gallons of this wonder drink to my family. A minimum of 20 gallons a week goes into the little bodies in my house. We are so blessed to be able to get some of the best raw milk around and at a low cost of just 1.50 a gallon. (Another family we know here graciously gives away their extra milk so as not to have to dump it. I know these are blessings not to be taken for granted. We won't live here forever I'm sure and our milk is something we would really miss.) Go HERE to read on the many benefits of going raw.

Raw milk tonic

1 1/2 C. milk

1/4 C. cream

2 T. molasses (this too is really good for you)

2-4 egg yolks

Whirl together and enjoy warm or cold.~Nourishing Traditions

Homemade ice cream

smoothies-a great way to use the cream

Warm some milk up and add honey. It really does calm an overly active child.

Making butter is another benefit of raw cream. Using the deep yellowish cream from summer milking provides an extremely nourishing butter.

Egg nog is delicious too when you use half cream/half milk. And you don't have to wait until Christmas to enjoy it.

Add a few tablespoons of cream to your hot cereal. (and eggs if you have extra)

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Buttermilk is another favorite. Mostly used in smoothies and for soaking my whole grains.

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Whey is another benefit that comes from our milk. So easy to make. Go HERE for the benefits of using whey.

Whey

2 quarts raw milk

Place the milk in clean glass jar and allow it to stand at room temperature 1-4 days until it separates. Line a large strainer set over a bowl with a clean dish towel. Pour in the separated milk, cover and let stand at room temperature for several hours. The whey will run into the bowl and the milk solids will stay in the strainer. Tie up the towel with the milk solids inside, being careful not to squeeze. Tie this little sack to a spoon placed across the top of a container so that more whey can drip out. When the bad stops dripping, the cheese is ready. Store whey in a jar and cream cheese in a covered glass container.~Nourishing Traditions

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Kefir is another favorite. HERE is the recipe for it and some health benefits.

How about you? Have any favorite ways of using milk you'd like to share?

Eggs are on the menu!

This picture pretty much shows the amount of eggs we go through weekly. We purchase 10 dozen eggs a week from a local family who has free range chickens. At only 2.00 a doz. it is an expensive, good for you food that goes a long way. What more could you ask for?

To read about the benefits of eggs go HERE.

Some of the ways our eggs get used~

scrambled in cultured butter

deviled

fried in cultured butter

boiled for salads

breakfast burritos

smoothies

eggnog

fried egg sandwiches

egg on a bagel with cheese

the normal baking stuff

rice pudding

bread pudding

french toast

quiches

frittata such as the one below.

What are some ways you like to use eggs?

We served this with asparagus and cornbread!

Pizza Frittata

(fyi,we doubled it for our family and it barely was enough)

6 oz. softened cream cheese

6 eggs

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. each basil and oregano leaves

2 T. butter

1 1/2 C. chopped green peppers (we used black olives since I didn't have peppers)

24 slices chopped pepperoni

Beat cream cheese, eggs, salt and seasonings. Melt butter in 10 inch ovenproof skillet. Add vegetables, cook and stir 5 min. Add cream cheese mixture and stir well. Cover pan and cook for about 5 minutes or until the center is almost set. Then set under broiler for about 5 minutes until finished.

My chocolate whipped cream 'dream' cake

I think it turned out to be more of my family's dream cake!  They loved it and want me to make it again.  Soon!!

Mary's eyes were certainly bigger than her tummy!  She thought she could handle a whole slice.  Her brother's ended up with her leftovers.

What's on your breakfast table?

There are lots of empty tummies in my house in the morning. So how do we fill up these tummies with food that will keep them going, and going, and going....? Here are a few of our late summer, fall, and winter favorites. During the summer months they are happy with smoothies, yogurt, or just fruit and toast. But once the cool air sets in something happens to with their appetites and they prefer a meatier breakfast.

Oatmeal porridge-only a large pot of it will do so it can be 'snacked' on all morning

This is the amount we use for our family but it's very easily adjusted.

The night before mix together 4 C. oatmeal, 4 C. water, and 8 T. buttermilk, yogurt, or whey. Cover till morning and add 4 more cups water and heat. In only 5 minutes you have a yummy pot of oatmeal. There are many ways to serve it. Here are some we do.

1. add about 1/2 dozen eggs while heating it. Sweeten with cream and honey or maple syrup. Adding a bit of vanilla is good too.

2. We like to put a few spoonfuls of homemade apple, cherry, or blueberry pie filling and sprinkle cinnamon and natural can sugar on top.

3. Sometimes when I am feeling nice I will scoop in some Breyer's ice cream into their bowls.

4. My kids' favorite though is to stir in some peanut butter. Really a stick to their ribs meal when you use the peanut butter and eggs together.

Swedish Rice Pudding. Another favorite of ours. Again, making a huge pot leaves enough for snacking on later. We use Basmati rice since that's our favorite type.

Basic recipe, adjust to your family size.

2 C. water

1/2 t. salt

1 T. butter

1 C. rice

4 1/3 C. milk

1 cinnamon stick

Bring water, rice, salt, cinnamon stick and butter to boil. Simmer 10 min. Add milk, cover and bring to boil. Once it's boiling lower heat and simmer for about 30 minutes or until rice is soft. Sweeten as you like. We use the same add ins for this that we do for oatmeal.

Cracked wheat cereal. This is extremely inexpensive, quick, and very tasty. Especially when you though in some of your favorite add ins.

The night before bring about 3 C. water to boil. Pour into thermos and add 1 C. cracked wheat and 6 T. buttermilk, yogurt, or whey. Close lid and leave overnight. In the morning it is finished and ready to eat. Talk about a fast food!!

If you really want a "wheatie" breakfast try raw wheat pancakes.

The night before soak 1 C. wheat berries in 2 C. water added with 2 T. buttermilk or other souring agent as listed above. Drain reserving liquid. In a blender add the wheat, 1 T. coconut oil, 2 eggs, 2 t. baking powder, 1/2 t. salt, 2 T. dry milk powder (if desired) and enough of the remaining liquid to create a nice pancake batter. Fry and serve as you would a pancake.

Fried corn meal mush. Another favorite of ours. The night before take 1 1/4 C. cornmeal, 2 1/2 C water, and 1/2 t. salt. Bring to boil stirring constantly. When it thickens pour into a bread pan and set in fridge overnight. In morning slice, fry, and serve as you would a pancake.

Southern Spoon Bread around here is eaten ONE way only. They love it with butter, maple syrup or honey.

In a large saucepan add the following....

2 t. salt

2 C. cornmeal

2. C. water

cook until it begins to thicken and quickly stir in

3 1/4 C. milk

4 eggs, beaten

4 T. melted butter

Continue stirring until it thickens and is mixed well, pour into baking dish and bake at 400 for 1 hour.

Other ideas for a heart breakfast are.....

Whole wheat pancakes, preferably with flour that has been soaked in buttermilk for 12 hours.

French toast using homemade wheat bread.

Toast using your homemade bread and fruit or sausage patties.

Scrambled eggs with potatoes and toast.

Bread pudding. I use no particular recipe for this most of the time. I add about 1/2 loaf leftover homemade bread, mix up about 8-10 eggs, 2-3 cups milk, a few T. cinnamon sugar and vanilla and bake in 350 oven for 40 minutes or until set. My kids add maple syrup or jam to this. It's like a baked french toast casserole.

Muffins of all kinds are always a hit. Add some fruit, scrambled eggs or a meat and it becomes a really filling meal.

Biscuits and gravy served with eggs and potatoes are a great weekend breakfast.

What kind of cookie is that Mary?

"Oh, it's the different kind!! You know, the kind you eat with a fork!!"

Mud Puddles

2 sticks butter

1 1/2 C. all natural sugar

1/2 C. brown sugar

1/2 C. milk

1 teas. vanilla

3 T. cocoa

1 C. natural peanut butter

3 C. oatmeal

In a large sauce pan combine butter, sugars, milk, vanilla, cocoa, and peanut butter. Melt all together and stir in vanilla and oatmeal. Spoon onto wax paper to cool. As you can see from the photos, we never let them rest long enough to harden!!

I ATE Meat Today

So WHY!! do you ask that I am blogging about this? Because I dislike meat very much and this is a big deal to me. But my dislike for meat isn't because I'm anal about dead animals, (although, seeing a dead dear hanging in my garage waiting to be gutted and cut up does nothing to whet my appetite!) nor am I a vegetarian, or anything like that! I simply don't like it!! My dear husband is on me all the time to take in more animal fat through meats and not just cottage cheese and eggs which is where I get my animal protein from. So to prove to him that I did indeed have my months supply of meat I snapped a photo of it to show him. He has been out of town all week until this Saturday so he misses the opportunity to pat himself on the back for his perseverance!! If I could "talk" to him I'd tell him, but he is way up north by the Canadian borders on a high adventure with Aaron and there is no phone reception. I was missing him so I thought I would do something nice for him. That's why I ate meat!!

I stir fried small bits of organic beef with garlic, onions, mushrooms, and red pepper in olive oil. I added a bit of sea salt and served it with homemade whole wheat tortillas. It wasn't half bad. So now I can say that I have my fix for a few months!!

Russian Tea Cakes for Breakfast

Delicious!

1/2 lb butter

2 C. sugar

4 eggs

1 C. chopped almonds

1 teas. almond or vanilla flavoring

4 C. flour

1 teas. baking powder

1/2 teas. salt

Preheat oven to 350. Combine all ingredients and press into a shallow pan. Bake for about 30 minutes or until a knife comes out clean. Let sit 5 minutes then slice into pieces and return to oven for 5 minutes, flip pieces over for another 5 minutes. Then enjoy. We served them with chocolate milk.

Tea Parties, Hope Chests & Little Girls

From the Power of Littles

Great events we often find,

On little things depend.

And very small beginnings

Have oft a mighty end...

Our life is made entirely

Of moments multiplied,

As little streamlets, joining.

Form the ocean's tide.~Author unknown

It is in the small moments that we teach our children. My little girls love a tea party. Either outside on a soft blanket or inside using a white table cloth linen. They are quite simple, juice served in a fancy glass pitcher, thrift store china cups and saucers, cookies and small candies...just a time set aside to sit and enjoy each other's company. We don't do it often enough but the times we do are special and treasured!! Try it sometime with your little ones and watch the excitement as everyday life turns into something special.

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When our 2nd daughter turned about 16 we began the tradition of setting up a hope chest for them. We enjoy searching together for the necessary items to place in them. It's fun and exciting to do this with our daughters and I look forward to doing it several more times in the future!

"A Hope Chest is much more than a wooden box and the treasures hidden within it's depths... The Hope Chest contains the love, hope and dreams parents have for their daughter. This is shown in a very special and physical way with each item the parent has searched for, considered, and either accepted or declined. It is not the money that goes into the acquisition of a Hope Chest that will make it special, but the love, time and effort of a parent for their child..." Rebekah Wilson

Here are some of our favorite books on Tea Parties and Hope Chests

The Hope Chest by Rebekah Wilson

Grandmother's Hope Chest by Rebekah Wilson

Just Mom and me Having a Tea Party by Mary Murray

Tea for Two by Brownlow Publishing

When Bread Dough Doesn't Rise

My yeast bread didn't rise today for some reason and I hate that when it happens. I think my yeast may be too old. I had ran out but I had some in the freezer and it must have been in for too long. I knew it wouldn't make a very good loaf so we made a flat bread. I rolled the dough into balls and flattened in a circle and cooked for a few minutes in a hot, dry skillet. The kids had different ideas on how to eat it.

1. Melt butter in a pan, dip the bread in the butter then sprinkle on coarse salt. They said it tasted like a soft pretzel.

2. Turn into a quick grill cheese sandwich.

3. PB&J sandwich

4. Toast in toaster

5. Or anyway you would a piece of sliced bread.

6. I wonder how this would do for french toast!

Brownie Cheesecake Dessert

Why is this such a favorite part of baking?

Before

After

I can't believe I even made this scrumptious delicacy. I'm sure I won't even try any of it. I'm trying to stay away from sugar for a time and this would surely mess me up. But my children and husband will love it. Here is the recipe.

Box brownie mix

mix brownie mix according to directions.

In a separate bowl combine 1 package cream cheese, 1 egg, 1/3 C. sugar and mix well. Spread brownie in baking pan and then place cream cheese mixture over it and swirl in with a knife. Bake for 36 minutes on 350 degree oven. (This is for a glass pan)