Menu Monday - August 30

My menu plan starts on Saturday.  For the most part, sides are figured out during the week.  I always have plenty of starchy side dishes and frozen veggies to choose from.

This weekend was busy and hectic, with a baby shower on Saturday and a birthday open house on Sunday.  Today I start my new job.
Saturday - steak sandwiches

Sunday - birthday party at my aunt & uncle's house

Monday - pizza

Tuesday - smoked pork chops, green beans beans and potato salad
Wednesday - cheeseburgers and potato salad
Thursday - steak and corn on the cob
Friday - beefy mac

Lunch this week is a pasta & veggie salad that is high on the veggies and low on the pasta. 
For more menu plans, please visit Organizing Junkie.

I didn't get a whole lot of produce this week.  I'm not putting anything up, so I just needed enough for dinner and my lunch.  It also means that I didn't have to spend that much.  I only spent $4.25, which I think is a pretty good price for what I picked up.

• two ears of corn (50 cents)
• green beans for two meals ($2)
• eggplant ($1)
• zucchini (75 cents)

The eggplant and zucchini will get steamed and will go into my pasta and veggie salad for this week's lunch.  I'll also add a bag of frozen veggies making this more of a veggie salad with a little bit of pasta (well less than a half a pound for 5 days).

Next week a friend and I are going to get together and put up taco sauce, so I'll be buying more produce next week.

Saturdays in the Kitchen

My Saturday will have very little kitchen time tomorrow.  Instead I will be at a baby shower, which I am very much looking forward to.  I will still be making bread and making my lunch for the week.  This week I'm going to do a pasta salad with ranch dressing, but instead of using a whole bag of pasta for the 5 days, I'm going to get whole wheat and only use half.  I'll add a lot of veggies instead, some frozen, some from the farmer's market.

Peppers, Peppers and More Peppers

Last week at the Farmers Market, I bought a bunch of mild banana peppers, some yellow bell peppers, which were more of a creamy yellow than bright yellow, and some hot banana peppers.  I was very excited to lacto-ferment the banana peppers and to make lacto-fermented Escabeche.  The LF banana peppers were done last night, I thought that they were very yummy and not to spicy.  They and the Escabeche have been transferred to cold storage, which for now is my fridge.  Once it gets colder I'll move them to the basement.  The Escabeche has to sit for another week, though I did cheat and try a piece when I was checking it yesterday.




This post is part of the Tuesday Twister hosted by Wardeh over at GNOWFGLINS

Menu Monday - August 23

My menu plan starts on Saturday.  For the most part, sides are figured out during the week.  I always have plenty of starchy side dishes and frozen veggies to choose from.

Another week that seems like it will busy.  I think that the only evening in which we'll be home the whole time is maybe Friday, but even that's debatable.  The temperatures are looking like they will be slightly below normal this week - only in the upper 70s, which is good, because I have been craving some meals, like beef patties in gravy, that tend to be off the menu when it is hot.

Saturday - cheeseburgers and potato salad

Sunday - birthday party at my cousin's house

Monday - pizza

Tuesday - pork chops, yellow beans and rice cooked in chicken stock

Wednesday - tacos and hopefully some Escachebe (I'll blog about it tomorrow)

Thursday - beef patties in gravy, onions, corn bread and noodles

Friday - steak, corn on the cob


I'm actually going out to eat twice this week, so I'm just doing a salad for lunch the other three days.

For more menu plans, please visit Organizing Junkie.

Farmers Market Finds

I am very much in love with the "new" Farmers Market.  The prices there are excellent.  Yesterday I got

• two ears of corn
• yellow beans
• banana peppers
• sweet yellow peppers
• hot peppers
• yellow zucchini
• one dozen Amish chocolate chip cookies (the kind that Jim and I obsess over, yes they are that good)
• one bunch of carrots
• garlic

I'll be making lacto-fermented escabeche and banana peppers, and if I have time I think that I'll attempt lacto-fermented carrots again.

Saturdays in the Kitchen

Since my Saturdays tend to be hectic, I decided to start posting my Saturday plans on Friday.  I'm also going to highlight my kitchen adventures (and maybe craft adventures).

I'll be heading to the farmer's market in a bit, I want to pick up the ingredients to make Lacto-Fermented Escabeche.  I got the recipe over at the Nourishing Gourmet.  I may also lact-ferment some banana peppers, it all depends on what I find at the the farmer's market.

This week's Preserving the Bounty challenge is preserving in vinegar - I'm planning on skipping it.  I can't think of anything that I'd want to preserve in vinegar.  Though I do use apple cider vinegar to make herbal tinctures.

I think that I figured out why my carrots were so salty and not too zippy - because they are denser than shredded carrots, they will take longer to ferment.  I forgot to take that into consideration.  I may end up making another batch this weekend.

I'll of course make bread tomorrow, and that should be it in the kitchen.

On the craft side of things, I should hopefully finish the baby blanket tomorrow evening.

The Woman That I've Become

Facebook has allowed me the opportunity to get reacquainted with people I knew from high school.  I've enjoyed getting back in touch with them, but it has also led me to wonder what they think of the woman that I've become.  For that matter, I wonder what the high school me would think of the woman that I am today.  I wonder if they realize fully the changes in me, and I suspect that they don't.  Changes that are more than just growing older and hopefully wiser.  Changes that are much more profound than that.  I am hopeful that they are accepting of who I am, I am also aware that many will not be. 

I am a child of the King, saved by graced and washed in the blood.  My greatest goal in life is to hear "well done thou good and faithful servant" when I stand before my heavenly Father.

I know that the only source of authority in all matters of faith is the inspired Word of God, found in the King James Bible (for those that speak English) and not in a preacher or a pope.

I thrill in my role as a help meet to my husband and a keeper at home (and yes, part of that role for me, as well as others, is to work outside the home).  My husband and my home are my number one earthly priority.  The only thing in my life that is a higher priority is serving my Lord.

I find pleasure and contentment in obeying my Lord.  In honoring Him by dressing as He commands in His word (1 Tim 2:9; 1 Peter 3:3; Deu 22:5), by striving to cultivate a meek and quiet spirit (1 Peter 3:4).  I thrill in being able to tell others about the wonderful Lord that I serve, that saved me and that can save them.

I am so thankful that I am saved.  And while part of me wishes that I was saved at a younger age as the journey that I have traveled has been long, and at times painful, in the end, I wouldn't trade it for anything because I know that it has all been a part of shaping me into this woman.

Eggplant and Tomatoes in Oil

This past week's Preserve the Bounty Challenge was preserving in oil.  I put up two pint jars of eggplants (Japanese and Taiwan varieties) and some heirloom tomatoes.  I'm kinda bummed that you need to let them sit a bit before you eat them.  They look yummy right now.

It was very easy to do.  I added 2 Tablespoons of red wine vinegar to each pint jar, along with a 1/2 teaspoon of herbs.  Then I covered with oil.  I used oregano for the eggplant and basil for the tomatoes.




This post is part of the Tuesday Twister hosted by Wardeh over at GNOWFGLINS
and a part of the Preserve the Bounty Challenge over at Nourished Kitchen

Menu Monday - August 16

My menu plan starts on Saturday.  For the most part, sides are figured out during the week.  I always have plenty of starchy side dishes and frozen veggies to choose from.

This week was supposed to be a pretty normal, slow week, but seems to be getting busier.  But such is life.  I am counting down the days until I start my new job.  I have 9 1/2 days in my current one.  The burritos from last week were a huge hit and will definitely make another appearance in the future.

Saturday - steak sandwiches and potato salad

Sunday - fried chicken salad

Monday - cheeseburgers and baked beans

Tuesday - steak and corn on the cob (I'll serve a veggie just not sure what)

Wednesday - we're going out to eat with my family

Thursday - smoked pork chops

Friday - either tacos or grilled cheese


Lunch this week is a Caesar pasta salad with veggies

For more menu plans, please visit Organizing Junkie.

Saturday Plans

Today is shaping up to be a busy day.  I've already put up some collard and mustard greens in the freezer.  I have to bake bread and prepare my lunch for the week.   I also need to make lunch for church tomorrow. 

This week's food preserving challenge is oil, so I will put up the eggplants and tomatoes.  I was hoping to ferment some jalepenos, but I don't have enough whey, so that will wait until next weekend.

I also have the usual floors and laundry to do and I want to get some knitting in.

Farmer's Market Finds

Today I got some Japanese and Taiwanese eggplants and some heirloom tomatoes.  I will be putting these up n oil this weekend for this week's challenge from the Preserve the Bounty Challenge over at Nourished Kitchen.

I also got some blackberries.  But those are eaten already :)

Sensitive Skin and Natural Cleaners

I have sensitive skin, always have.  To give a qualifier for how sensitive my skin is, I pack sheets to go on vacation with because I can't sleep on hotel sheets without breaking out.  I also prefer to not use cleaners that have a lot of chemicals in them, especially the anti-bacterial cleaners out there.  Add to that the fact that I like to be frugal with my purchases and you end up with a big struggle to find products.

I tried using homemade cleaning products for a while, but I was never quite happy with the results.  Though I do use a homemade all purpose cleaner for quick wipes of the counters.

What I'm very happy about is that both Method and Seventh Generation offer free & clear products.  Now I wish that I could find one that is good on bathrooms :)

Here is the list of products that I currently use:
Laundry
- Purex Free and Clear Detergent
- Seventh Generation Chlorine Free Bleach (free and clear)
- Giant Eagle store brand liquid fabric softener (free and clear)
- Either Snuggle or Bounce free and clear fabric softener (I would love to get something else for this)

Cleaning
- Method Glass Cleaner (mint scented and it smells divine)
- Seventh Generation All-Purpose Cleaner
- Method Stainless Steel Spray
- Nature's Source Bathroom Cleaner

Menu Monday - August 9

My menu plan starts on Saturday.

We had a wonderful, long weekend away this past weekend.  We left for Conneaut Lake on Thursday morning and returned yesterday evening.  It was a wonderful, relaxing time with lots of picnics.

Unfortunately, being off for two days has led to a huge to-do list at work.  Oh well, I should hopefully be caught up before too long

Saturday - away

Sunday - fried chicken salad

Monday - pizza

Tuesday - steak.  We made corn on the cob on the grill for the first time this past weekend while we were away and I'm anxious to do it again.  We'll have that and grilled green pepper

Wednesday - ham and potato salad

Thursday - cheeseburgers and beans

Friday- beef and bean burritos

Lunch this week is a Caesar pasta salad with veggies

For more menu plans, please visit Organizing Junkie.

A random post

I tried the carrots last night.  I had to use all salt instead of salt & why, so they were a bit on the salty side.  I'm hopefully going to make whey soon, so I'll try them with the whey/salt mix.  Also, they didn't have enough ginger and I think that I want to experiment with other spices, maybe a pickling mix.

I'm not going to the farmers market today.  I will probably be going to one this weekend, and there's only so much produce that we need :)

In other randomness, I received this in an email today and thought it was too good not to share.

If you took the same excuses that people use for not going to church and apply them to other important areas of life you'd realize how inconsistent we can be in our logic.  For example:

Reasons Not To Wash

1. I was forced to as a child
2. People who make soap are only after your money
3. I wash on special occasions like Christmas and Easter
4. People who wash are hypocrites - they think they are cleaner than everyone else
5. There are so many different kinds of soap, I can't decide which one is best
6. I used to wash, but it got boring so I stopped
7. None of my friends wash
8. The bathroom is never warm enough in the winter or cool enough in the summer
9. I'll start washing when I get older and dirtier
10. I can't spare the time

Fermented Carrots

This past weekend I decided to make a jar of fermented carrots.  I've done them before, but used shredded carrots that I pounded.  This time I decided to use slices of carrots.  It was pretty simple to do, and they are currently sitting on my counter fermenting.  I'll try them tonight.

Making them couldn't have been simpler.  I sliced a bunch of carrots and diced some ginger.  I then mixed sea salt and water to make a brine and poured it over.  Put the lid on and let them sit.

I'll report back how they turned out and any tweaks that need to be made.

This post is part of the Tuesday Twister hosted by Wardeh over at GNOWFGLINS
and a part of the Preserve the Bounty Challenge over at Nourished Kitchen