It is the Season for...

Strawberries!

Caleb got Maggie a mini muffin pan for her birthday.

His thinking: "A gift that keeps on giving. And I benefit!"

Here is what he (actually, we all did) benefited from "his giving".

Tuxedo Brownie Cups

Maggie and her yummy creations.

Oh De-lish!

Quick and Easy! (ha)

Remember last fall when Caleb went with his Papa (my dad) to South Dakota for some MAJOR pheasant hunting?

Well, our freezer (and my dad's) are full of pheasant. We have been loving it.

So many yummy ways to prepare and eat it!!

It was one of those days. A day when we had lots going on. The children were busy helping Brian, taking lessons, here and there. Not a lot of order just lots to get done.

All to say, they were all going to be arriving home right at dinner time and they were going to be hungry.

Each month we rotate "service for the family" (aka: chores). One of the services is to be my kitchen assistant. My assistant was gone.

I was on my own for dinner prep.

I thought I would make something quick and easy.

Pheasant Noodle Soup - with Homemade noodles.

Yep. Homemade!

I use to make homemade noodles.

Haven't done that for a very long time.

Now, I remember why - 

I could not get the egg and flour to roll out!! At all!

I was dripping with sweat and tears.

There was nothing easy (or quick) about it.

It was harder than doing a P90X workout.

This is what I ended up with. Each strip is like 20 inches thick. (argh)

But, I wasn't going to let a little flour and egg get the best of me.

So, I let it dry.

Dropped it in the pot with the pheasant and broth.

Served it and...

... to my surprise, it was a HUGE hit!! 

Everyone ranted and raved about it all through dinner. 

They loved the 20 inch thick noodles. :-)

It was worth all the tears.

Note to self: Next time do it with my assistant and let them roll it out.

Yummy House!

Each Christmas we put our creativity to use

with "nummies" for another tradition.
Sidenote: I love Costco for 1,000,001 reasons.
The ONE is that they provide the absolute best Gingerbread House Kit.
Which translates into - No prep on mom's part.
Open it. Build it. Design it. Decorate it!
DONE!!

Not sure if she is "taking off" or "putting on"

By the look on her face - I think she was "taking off" (and eating).

Our little candy snitch.

Voila!

Finished product.

Fish Bait

a.k.a - SUSHI

I had a request for our sushi ingredients.

Sushi Grade Fish - (flash frozen)  Salmon, Tuna, Halibut

         

Imitation Crab meat - safer for the pregnant ladies to eat

Baby Shrimp - shelled, deveined, cooked

Sticky Rice - we use Niko Niko Calrose Rice by SunLuck

       

Nori Sheets - seaweed

Cream Cheese

Sesame Seeds

Red Chili Sauce

Cut in long strips and add to rolls:

cucumber, zucchini, green pepper, red pepper, cilantro, mango  (yum), avocado, ginger root, lemon (peeled and thinly sliced)

                

Serve with pickled ginger, wasabi and soy sauce.

                                  

And invite lots of friends!!!

Off the Mountain

One more thing...

With Hudson's deer, I had told you I was retired from the processing.  Apparently, I am not!  I was needed again; for two reasons --  1. Brian hurt his back getting out of the 6-wheeler helping with the elk.  2. There is so much more meat on an elk and it was "all hands on deck" for this project.  We ended up with 80 lbs of meat.  You might also appreciate the fact that we started our day with the elk on the mountain  at 6:30am and it was in the freezer and the kitchen cleaned by 5:30pm.  That was a full day of elk. 

This elk was so big and way too heavy for us to drag.  We had to quarter it and carry it in pieces up the mountainside, through brush and scrub oak to the 6-wheeler.  Not an easy task.  I know this because I watched them do it.  Don't be too judgmental...  Someone had to take pictures.

Abbi and Hudson with a quarter.

 

  

Evan with a quarter. I am so glad he came to help or this may have been me.

Since the meat was quartered we decided to finish the job and get it in the freezer.

             Cutting meat off bones                                    Grinding the meat

Weston and Maggie ground the meat.  Elizabeth bagged it and I vacuum sealed the bags.  I also cleaned out the meat freezer.  Organized and defrosted it so we would have plenty of room.

It's a done deal!  Our freezer is full. And we have organic meat to eat.

WARNING: Skinning and Skin

 

I remember the day when Brian would bring home an elk or a deer.  I, the loving and supporting wife, was the one to help him hang it, skin it, quarter it, cut it, grind it and bag it.  And keep in mind, most of those times I was pregnant (pretty much always pregnant). And we would get started after our children were in bed b/c they were too little to help.  So it would make for a very late night. What a trooper I was. (patting myself on the back)

Well, I think I have passed the baton - 100%

Remember that Hudson shot a doe a few days ago? Well, I am proud to say that I never once had to touch the deer or doing anything to help get the meat in the freezer. 

1. Caleb and Hudson hung it. 

2. Hudson skinned it.  Sidenote: I don't remember ever skinning wildlife without a shirt on so I asked him why he was doing it this way.  His reply: "I don't want to get blood on my shirt."  Hmmm. Why didn't I ever think of that?

3. After it was skinned, the boys and Brian quartered it.  They brought the quarters in and (4.) cut the meat off the bones.

 

5. Then the meat was given to Maggie (and Brian) to be ground up.  We use my Bosch Bread Mixer with an attachment for meat grinding. It works fabulous!

6. The meat then got vacuum sealed and put in the freezer.

(However, we did not freeze all of it.  We will make sausage and jerky with the rest.  That will be another nights activity.)

7. DONE!

In case you are wondering...Yes, we sanitize and sterilize the kitchen before and after this little project.

So, let the question be asked...

Where was I when all of this was taking place?

I was in the family room reading books and playing on the floor with the little girls.  Loved every minute of it! 

The Processing crew did a great job!  And I am retired!!

Apple Yum

 

This is such a great recipe from Julie that I have to share it with you.  Abbi made it for dessert the other night and we loved it!   Who wouldn't, it has a million cups of sugar.  Believe me, it is well worth it.  (Next time we will try honey in place of the sugar.) 

Fresh Apple Cake

4 cups chopped apples (golden delicious or any good baking apple)
2 cups sugar
2 well beaten eggs
1/2 cup oil
2 cups All purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup chopped pecans
Mix apples, sugar, eggs, oil, and vanilla. Mix flour, soda, salt, and cinnamon. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients. Stir well by hand. Add pecans. Bake in greased bundt pan for 50 to 55 minutes at 350 degrees. Let cool on wire rack for about 10 minutes. Invert pan on serving plate. Sprinkle powdered sugar on top. Serve warm and with ice cream (or not).  Enjoy!

Womb Strengthener

 

I had a few requests for my Pregnancy Tea Recipe...

PREGNANCY TEA

4 parts Red Raspberry Leaves (strengthens & tones tissue of womb)

2 parts Rose Hips (provides vitamin C)

4 parts Nettles (strengthens and supports the whole body)

2 parts Alfalfa (vitamin A, D and K.  Great for nursing moms.)

1 part Spearmint (adds flavor, helps digestion)

*Optional - Raspberry Zinger (Celestial Seasons) tea bags.  If I have them on hand I throw one tea bag in with the herbs.  Adds a nice flavor.

I store my herbs in individual labeled jars.  (Yes, they are in alphabetical order.  Psycho... I know.  But that is beside the point.)

 

Take any size measuring cup and measure "parts".  Mix all together.  It is best to store herbs in glass.  I store mine in a gallon glass jar.

 

To brew, pour 1 quart boiling water over 1/2 c. tea mixture.  Cover and steep for 1/2 hour.  I use a French Press so that my herbs are easily separated.  (see the herbs on the bottom and the tea on top - Genius!)

  Pour and drink.  Drink it hot or put it on ice.  Store extra tea in refrigerator.

I like to drink my tea cold.  Ahh! A tall glass of yummy iced tea!!

 

I order my herbs from two different places.

Bulk Herb Store or San Francisco Herb

Sound a bit overwhelming?  It really is quite simple.  All you really need is the herbs, a teapot and a French Press.  (you can store the herbs however you want)

Try it!  You will like it and your womb will thank you.