A "Fall-ish" Meal Plan 9/18-9/24

(Photo credit)

Two years ago, after spending hours stalking, I mean, visiting other blogs, I decided to make the jump and start my own. That was on September 17th, 2009. Over the last couple of years, a lot has changed, both in my kitchen (literally) and on our farm. Our family size has increased with sons-in-laws and grandchildren, and our animal repertoire has grown from 1 cow and a few chickens, to something Old MacDonald could be proud of.

Okay, maybe not MacDonald himself, but his neighbors maybe.

One of the things that has remained the same is Menu Mondays. Because of my computer impediment, I didn't actually learn how to "follow"other blogs until several months after I began my Sunday stalking, I mean, perusing of the web. But I did know how to bookmark places that I liked and would spend a couple of hours each week learning the fine art of meal planning.

And let me tell you, as an 80% whole food enthusiast (have to always leave room for improvement and a sweet tooth!), it is definitely an art. Trying to come up with new, well-rounded, hit-all-the-food-groups kind of menus ain't easy. But it is less messy than just tossing everything into a trough and yelling, "Come and get it!"

Summer always throws me into a tailspin in the planning department as all of our meals revolve around the high temperature of the day. Any temp above 83 degrees is considered a heat wave and the ovens are abandoned in favor of salads and Cheerios. 

Even if my meal plan says differently.

I'm not a fan of "too hot". I'm already hormonal and adding sweat to an already stoked, aging furnace is just too much. Our idea of air conditioning is to open the windows and...well, that's all. Just open the windows. Period.

 I guess you might call me a summer wuss.

Thankfully, the weather has started to cool and the kitchen is about to be back in business. And after 2 years of meal planning and all the other stuff that manages to makes its way onto this blog, I just want to say a big thank you to all of my stalkers...I mean, followers. You guys rock!!

Here's what's cookin' this week...(besides me!☺)

~Sunday~

cereal

Toe-Warming Chili, Kim's Kornbread

~Monday~

Pear Hazelnut Muffins (new)

Chili Nachos, grapes

Curried Butternut Squash Soup (new), green salad

~Tuesday~

English Muffins w/ peanut butter, pears

Toasted cheese sandwiches, raw carrots w/ Ranch

Spaghetti & Meatballs, Caesar Salad

~Wednesday~

Pennsylvania Dutch Baked Oatmeal

BLT's, grapes

Crockpot roasted chicken, mashed potatoes & gravy, garlicky green beans

~Thursday~

Simple Soaked Oatmeal w/ blueberries

Popovers w/ turkey breast & cheese

Chicken Tortilla Soup, Kim's Kornbread

~Friday~

Egg in a Hole

Leftover Chicken Tortilla Soup

Pumpkin Waffles, elk sausage

~Saturday~

Blueberry Speltcakes

Zucchini Bread, Yogurt Smoothies

Roasted Potato & Bacon Soup (new)

For more meal planning ideas, visit Menu Mondays at Organizing Junkie.

Mountain Love

Vacation. Four days of mountain bliss. While I play catch-up with the mountain of laundry that seemed to follow us home, here's a little mountain eye candy for those who don't have a mountain of their very own.

Because this one is all mine.

Even if Mr. Gifford Pinchot National Forest doesn't agree with me. 

Fishing~

Hiking~

Nightime~

Dinnertime~

And finally...a very rare creature of the lake sighting~

Until we meet again...

Fear, Focus, and Escape!

Sometimes a farmgirl has to put on her proverbial big girl panties and do things she really doesn't want to do.

She clears her mind and gains some focus. She's determined to live the life they've chosen and will not succumb to weakness.

Until her Mister requires her to master the fine art of evisceration.

This one not-so-simple act has sent this farmgirl running for the hills.

Where she can again clear her mind and regain her focus.

I'm off on another adventure until sometime next week...

...this time, without the crutches!☺

*Thanks to my dear son Dakota who "captured" my true emotions on butchering day. You're a peach.☺



Blackberry Cobbler

I have to be honest for a moment.

I wasn't going to share this recipe with you. I was afraid that sharing this would make it less special, would create a blackberry shortage in America, and would cause riots when the season was over.

Really, I was just thinking of you.

But then I realized that someday I might meet one of you, and you might invite me over for coffee, that might include a dessert, and....well...

See, I told you I was only thinking of you.

This recipe is a combination of several different recipes, some were hits, while others were just okay. Just okay is not good enough when it comes to cobbler. It just can't be.

 Life is too short for just okay.

Cobbler is not to be confused with pie (which has a crust), buckle (strudel topping), crisp (crispy topping that usually includes rolled oats), or a slump (cooked on stove). Cobbler is in a class by itself with its bubbling berries oozing up through the biscuity topping.

Blackberry cobbler should be on everyone's bucket list. If you haven't tried cobbler yet, now is the perfect time as blackberries are at the height of perfectness. I will warn you though; this cobbler is best served with vanilla bean ice cream or freshly whipped cream.

And if you're like me, one serving is never enough.☺

~Blackberry Cobbler~

~The Players~

Berry mixture: 4 cups fresh or frozen (thawed) blackberries

1/2 cup sugar (I used organic, but rapadura would work too.)

zest from 1 organic lemon

juice from half of a lemon

1/4 t. cinnamon

1-1/2 Tb. organic cornstarch or instant tapioca

Cobbler Topping:  3 Tb. organic sugar

1 cup flour (I used soft white wheat, but white flour is fine.)

1-1/2 t. baking powder

1/4 t. sea salt

4 Tb. unsalted butter

1/4 cup milk*

1 large egg

In a medium bowl, gently mix together the berry mixture. Place mixture in a buttered pie dish or a 9 x 9 casserole dish. Pat it down with the back of a spatula. Let it rest for 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350F.

Whisk together the 3 Tb. sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt. Cut in butter with a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. 

In a small bowl, whisk together the milk and egg until smooth.

Make sure your egg is a large egg and not the very small egg that a very helpful boy brings you.

Mix the milk/egg mixture into the flour mix using a wooden spoon. Stir until all of the flour is moistened, but do not over mix.

Drop by spoonfuls over berries.

Bake for 35-40 minutes.

Serve warm, but whatever you do...

Don't forget the ice cream!

Enjoy!☺

*If you want a more cakey topping, add an extra Tb. of milk to the 1/4 cup. 

Labor Day Organizing and an Award!

Happy Labor Day!

Actually, that seems like an oxymoron since most people have the day off. So maybe we should rename it, "Happy Day Off and Thank You For Your Hard Work Day". Or, "Happy Last Day to Wear White Until Memorial Day Weekend Day". Or, "Enjoy Your Barbecue Because the Rainy Season is Coming Day".

Scratch the last 2. They were just downright depressing.

Since my Mister is not one of the fortunate laborers to have today off, I took it upon myself to throw myself into my work too. Can't have him feelin' sorry for himself you know. While he is off saving lives, and making people feel better, I am throwing out junk, organizing, and making myself a little less wacko in the process.

But only a little less.

Warning: In order to organize your chaos, you may want to invest in a label maker. Because only God knows what grain was actually added to the last batch of cookies...

...if it was a grain at all.

Bulgar and steel cut oats; millet and quinoa...you say tomato, I say toma-toe. Label if you want to know what you're eating! 

Wide-mouth canning jars with lids make excellent storage.

Ikea is another great place to find inexpensive jars.

Half gallon jars are great for foods that you use a lot of...like popcorn!



My organizing didn't end there, because that would be too easy. No, I decided to jump into another rat's nest.

The make-up drawer.

I'm going to spare you the gory details, but it was ugly. I'm pretty sure that there was make-up left over from the 9th grade. When I was 14. Do the math. People could lose their vision with that stuff.

When the purging was complete, I was left with a tall, kitchen garbage bag completely filled, and a drawer that looks like this...



To say that I am a make-up junkie would be an understatement.

And I usually only wear it on Sundays.

Next up...the tea cupboard.





But it will have to wait until next Labor Day; I'm all labored out.☺

*~*~*~*~*~*

Last week, I was awarded a Liebster blog award by Lisa at Happy in Dole Valley! This gal creates things with a knitting needle that makes this farm girl swoon.

All I seem to be able to do with a knitting needle is scratch that hard to reach spot on my back.

Lisa home schools, cooks with whole foods, has a sweet spirit, and makes muffins every Monday. If you haven't visited her blog yet, you owe it to yourself to do it now. I'll wait....

See what I told you?

So what's a Liebster award? 





"Liebster" is a German word meaning dear, sweet, kind, nice, good, beloved, lovely, kindly, pleasant, valued, cute, endearing, and welcome.

The Liebster is awarded to spotlight up and coming bloggers who currently have less than 200 followers.

How fun is that? Now for the rules...

1. Thank the giver and link back to the blogger who gave it to you.

2. Reveal your top 5 picks and let them know by leaving a comment on their blog.

3. Copy and paste the award on your blog.

4. Have faith that your followers will spread the love to other bloggers.

5. And most of all - have fun!

So, in no particular order, here are my picks for the Liebster Award...

 

1. MamaTea @ A Farmish Kind of Life~She is a homeschoolin', chicken wranglin', guitar playin', problem solvin', crotchetin' junkie, waitin' for the farm mama, who also likes to cook. Anyone who can make me laugh out loud before my morning coffee is pretty okay by me!

2. Midlife Farmwife~As if owning a large, certified organic beef/dairy/pork farm wasn't enough, Donna makes soaps that look good enough to eat, castrates little boy piggies, dreams of living a more simple life, and has a sense of humor to boot.

3. Freedom Acres Farm~I'm going to borrow words from her "About Me"...A Bible believing, Torah observing, organic gardening, raw milk drinking, homeschooling, egg collecting, cow milking, bread baking, whole foods eating, book loving, apparel sewing, off-grid living wife and mom of 6 striving to be as frugal and self sufficient as possible!

What's not to like about that?

4. Retro Momma, Vintage Wife~Previously of Life in Small Town Wyoming, Michaela has made the move to a new blog domain and and a new state, but is still just as quirky, crafty, sassy, and fun as ever.  She is one of the people directly responsible for my lack of counter space (lacto-ferments), and my obsession with spray paint (repurposing)! And I don't even hold it against her!☺

5. Whole Foods on a Budget~Christy shows how to eat real foods and still stay on a budget, something this old dog has yet to master. She breaks down the cost of buying non organic produce  against what she's harvested in her small, but highly productive garden. And for heaven's sake, check out her recipe for Tuscan Bread Salad~I've already licked my computer screen...twice! (I can't leave a comment on her blog, but please show her some love anyway!)

And thank you Lisa!

Meal Plan for 9/4/11

I was robbed!

At least I think I was robbed.

Of summer, that is.

September is our busiest month of the year. It is the time when all of our labors start to bear fruit. Literally and figuratively. Canning season is in full swing with the green beans being the new superstar of the garden. 'Bout time too, they almost missed their own show! I scored a 28 lb. box of Italian plums that are now tucked away in the freezer, and put up 24 quarts of tomatoes. The Elberta peaches will be in this week (a local produce stand), and our 25 meat chickens will be relocating to a much cooler climate.

Ahem.

And all of this is happening during the fall run of Chinook salmon!

 Mercy.

Needless to say, our home school is not beginning this week. In fact, with the arrival of September, we are seeing temps in the 90's, which means that we'll be doing our "nature studies" down at the creek.

Or on the river.☺

Here's what's cookin' this week...

~Sunday~

Grilled burgers, Blackberry Cobbler (new!)

~Monday~

Sesame Brown Rice Salad with Shredded Chicken and Peanuts, raw veggies

~Tuesday~

Chicken Quesadillas, Mango & Black Bean Confetti Salad

~Wednesday~

Barbecued Pork Chops, Roasted No Mayo Potato Salad, Spinach Salad with Asian dressing

~Thursday~

Golden Potato Bake, Zucchini Bread

~Friday~

Asian Quinoa Salad, Grilled Salmon

~Saturday~

Horseshoe Sandwiches (new), raw veggies w/ Ranch Dip

 Because of the busyness of this week, I've only planned our dinners. We'll be having a lot of Yogurt Smoothies for breakfast's, and lunches will be determined "in the moment".

As in, "Get it yourself, I'm fishing" kind of moments.

Hey, I'm just doing my part to provide for the family...

...honest.☺

For more meal planning ideas, visit Menu Mondays!

Spiced Pickled Beets

Before I share this recipe, I need to apologize for my photography skills.

And by skills, I really mean, lack of.

Apparently, red beets + sunny day + flash on a digital camera = with the naked eye, you're just begging for permanent eye damage. These pictures require a pair of sunglasses with a valid seal of approval from the American Eye Association before viewing.

Go ahead and get some on. I'll wait.

*whistle*whistle*

Now that you are protected, I'll continue.

Beets. They don't care if my summer has been plagued with a late start, illness, or an-as-yet to be determined fall from a camper. They continue to grow regardless of the fact that our entire family was down with strep. Beets don't care if I am on crutches and have to lean over the sink, bearing weight on my "good" leg, which just so happens to be the one that is still suffering from numbness due to a back injury last year. They just continue on their journey to maturity.

Beets don't wait for no one. Not even me.

I prefer beets that are small in size; not too big to keep one's mouth from closing (grody), but not too small to be considered a choking hazard to small children. Alas, that is not what I got out of my garden this year. I got softball-sized beets.

Try putting one of those in your mouth. It's not pretty. 

If you are one of the fortunate ones who harvested the perfect beets, by all means, pickle them whole. But, if like me, where the craziness of life interfered with the gardening season and you were only able to harvest humongous beets, shredding is best.

Trust me. It's for your own good.☺

~Spiced Pickled Beets~ 

~The Players~

Brine: 2 cups water

2 cups apple cider vinegar

2 cups organic sugar

1 t. ground cinnamon

1 t. ground cloves

1 t. ground allspice

Beets, washed with roots and shoots removed (save the shoots...greens...for dinner!)

In a large saucepan, mix the brine ingredients. Whisk to incorporate the spices. Set on med-high heat and bring to boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to low until needed.

This smells very autumny!

In a large stockpot, cook washed beets until tender, but not mushy; 20-30 minutes. You want them to be firm, so do NOT overcook them!

Remove from pot and plunge into ice water to remove skins.

Use a food processor with a shredder attachment and shred the beets.

Still have your eye protection on?

Fill pint-sized jars about 3/4 full. Cover with brine. Remove air bubbles by running a butter knife down the inside of the jars. Add more brine if needed to cover beets.

Process in a water bath canner for 20 minutes.

Enjoy over salads this winter!