Homemade Coffee Creamer

Hello Monday

Today we are venturing into the kitchen again with some more DIY.  That's right, y'all, we are gonna make some Coffee Creamer!  I stumbled into this adventure by accident.  The other night I made some donut holes and had three different "flavors."  Powdered sugar, of course, chocolate and cinnamon sugar.  With the leftover mix I decided to try it in my coffee as a sweetener and it was pretty good.  It got me to thinking how much I like to flavor my coffee and creamer is ridiculously expensive, IMO.  I mean, who doesn't want to save money???  I also like to see what I can make with the ingredients I have available in the house. This is super simple and a wonderful way to use up the powdered milk I have left from bread making.  There's always so stinkin' much...

Gather Ingredients:

Dry Milk

White Sugar

Brown Sugar 

Powdered Sugar

Cinnamon

Cocoa

I then put everything in the blender (recipes follow), blend and voila, creamer.  It would be just as easy to put it in the container and shake, shake, shake...

Cinnamon Sugar:

1 Cup Dry Milk

1/4 Cup White Sugar

1/4 Cup Brown Sugar

1/4 :Powdered Sugar

1 TBLS Cinnamon

Mocha:

1 Cup Dry Milk

1/4 Cup Cocoa

1/2 Cup White Sugar

Now, these are the measurements I used and these are the first batches.  I will make these again but some changes will be made.  On the cinnamon sugar, I would use more brown sugar (for a caramel flavor) and less cinnamon.  For the mocha I think more cocoa would be better.  I have discovered the addition of extracts give me so many more variations.  I'm a huge amaretto fan so, of course, almond extract would be fantabulous.  The possibilities are endless.  I would most certainly make a bigger batch but I just wanted to fill these little jars for now.  Yes, I am going through a glassware/storage phase and I LOVE it!

So, I hope this gives you a start.  I would love to hear what other flavors/recipes you may have.  Please, feel free to share in the comments section.  I feel like I talk to myself most of the time, which I do in reality, but it would be great to get some feedback.  

Here's to a Great Week!

~Ash

Potato Soup with Bread Bowls

Hello Everyone.

Last night we had an amazing meal, potato soup in bread bowls.  It was all homemade and I'll be sharing the recipes and photos....yes, photos!  The kids loved it and I believe we all ate ourselves sick.  It was worth it tho, it's food!  AmIRight???  LOL  So, let's waste no time, here it comes...

The bread bowls came from a recipe I found at Six Sisters' Stuff.  I think it turned out fabulous and we will most definitely be making it again.  Here is a link to the recipe.

Love my Kitchen Aid!

Waiting for them to rise...

YUM!

The Potato Soup Recipe is something I came up with outta my head.  It's a mix of different recipes I've seen using what I had in the house.  Here goes:

Potato Soup

Rough chop the following:

Bacon About 5 slices
Onion One medium

Carrots Two large 

Potatoes 6-7 smaller  (I had russet)

Broccoli Stalks from one head

Chicken Stock About 4 cups

Potatoes About 2 Diced

Broccoli Crowns Chopped

Bacon Cooked, crumbled

Green Onions Chopped (optional)

Cheese

Directions:

First brown the bacon in a large pot.  Once the bacon is cooked, remove and cook onions, carrots, potatoes and broccoli stalks in the grease.  Once they have softened a bit I add the chicken stock and cook til the veges are soft, even mushy.  Then I use a hand blender to blend it all together and smooth out any offensive veggies...  Once the soup is the desired consistency, add the remaining bacon, potatoes and broccoli crowns.  Cook until the potatoes are tender.  Now it's time to add the cheese(s)!  I was using what I had on hand so I used shredded cheddar (a handful), four slices of American, two slices of swiss and two slices of provalone.  Once the potatoes are tender and the cheese is melted in, it's time to serve.  I topped mine with extra bacon and green onions.  So So Good!

Here are a few more pics of the prep...

Dude likes using the big knife.

And there you have it!

So, lemme know if any of you try this recipe.  Even though I know it's warming up for many, we still have snow up here.  I'd love to hear any feedback.

Blessings,

~Ash

Food, Yum

So, I can finally say I am getting a little better with the blog stuff.  I'm not done with this page so please don't think it's gonna stay like this.  I am just too lazy to revert back to the original while I play around with the building of the page.

Ok then.  This week I tried out a couple new recipes on the fam.  Other than those we had some WoodsFam staples.  Here's what our menu looked like:


Monday:  Chili Mac
Tuesday:  *Turkey Fried Rice
Wednesday:  *Cabbage Burger Casserole
Thursday:  *Sweet Potato Chili
Friday:  Soft Tacos

*Denotes a new or altered recipe

Sweet Potato Chili

Unfortunately, I cannot locate the pics of the Cabbage Burger Casserole,  Sorry.

Reviews:

~The Chili Mac is always a winner.  Macaroni &Canned Chili topped to your liking.  I like adding ketchup, cheese and diced onion...the rest of the Fam omits the onion.

~The Turkey Fried Rice was just an alteration of meat.  Rice, Frozen Mixed Veggies, Sliced Water Chestnuts, Ground Turkey, Eggs and seasonings.  It received the thumbs up.

~The Cabbage Burger Casserole was also a hit.  I found this recipe @ allrecipes.com.  I altered it by cooking a few strips of peppered bacon (I crumbled this over the cabbage in the dish), using only 1 1/2lbs of ground beef (browned in the bacon grease) and baking it in a casserole dish.  I used regular (cheap) canned dinner rolls to top it off.  I was skeptical at first but the more I ate, the more I wanted.  It's def. a dish to warm you on those cold Nebraska (Montana) days and nights.

~What can I say about the Sweet Potato Chili?  Well, it's a bit different.  It's another from allrecipes.com.  I do not like sweet potatoes but having received two rather large ones in our Bountiful Basket, I couldn't waste them.  I would say I could make this again but it would definitely need some Ash Tweaks.  I would use less cinnamon and dice the potatoes much smaller to be much less noticeable.  I would also contemplate trying it on the stove instead of in the crock pot, simply because there are times the dinner plans need to be altered.  So, I give this one a hmmmm, maaaybe....

~Soft Tacos are soft tacos, a WoodsFam Staple and all around winner.  Last night I added a can of black beans to the meat to stretch it a bit, we had two extra mouths here.  Once again, I was a glutton and ate waaaaay too much.  I have a tendency to overdue it every time.  But they are just SOOOOOO good!!!

This coming week will be a little easier to plan.  With Ash Wednesday there's one less dinner...lol  However, so begins the abstinence of meat on Fridays.  Veggies Here We Come!  And pancakes, children demand pancakes, ugh.  I'll be on a bunny diet those days.  No Problem!

Maybe this will inspire someone to try a new dish, venture into uncharted culinary territory.  Whatever you may choose I hope you choose well.  Feed yourselves well and feel better to boot!

Have a wonderful weekend.

~Ash

Fun Friday

Good Evening Everyone and TGIF.

Tonight we had a Lucy original, Lucy Casserole.  She came up with this idea on her own and we've tweaked it a bit.  Tonight's turned out fabulous and we're sharing this recipe below.  Big hit with the fam and her friend who's staying over.  We had ours with spinach, a Lucy favorite.  Obviously any vegetable would be good on the side.  Let me know if any of you try it.

Have a Great Weekend.

~Ash

Lucy Casserole

Ingredients:

1 Box of Penne Pasta
½-3/4 Cup each; Pepperoni, Deli Ham
2 Cups Diced Cheddar Cheese, reserve ⅓ cup
1 Cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese
Butter
Flour
Milk
1/2 Packet Ranch Seasoning (I used the dip version)

Directions:
Preheat Oven to 350*F
Cook pasta according to package directions.  While the pasta cooks, dice/chop pepperoni, ham and cheddar cheese.  Combine these three ingredients in a bowl and set aside.  

After draining the pasta, use butter, flour and milk to make a simple white sauce.  Once the sauce comes together, add the ranch seasoning and about ⅓ cup of diced cheese and cook until cheese melts and sauce is smooth, stirring frequently.  

Combine pasta with meats and cheese and place in a 9X13 casserole dish.  (Sometimes I even remember to spray the dish before I add the goodies...)  Pour the sauce over the pasta mix and then top with shredded cheddar cheese.  I cover mine with foil and bake for. about half an hour.  Remove cover and cook until brown on top, about 15 minutes, and serve.

Resolutions

Good Afternoon.

Today I will be revealing a little about my New Year's resolutions.  In the grand scheme of things I am hoping to change my lifestyle a bit (LOT).  Every day seems to remove a little more "city" from this girl and add a little more "country."  For those who aren't "schooled" in WoodsFam history, here is a quick background.  Brian and I married in 1997.  We have three children.  We have lived in four different states and one other country, thank you Air Force.  We've been Blessed to see so much of the world and we take things away from each place we live/visit.  We are Catholic, Catholics who have a hard time making it to mass.  No excuses, it's just how it's been lately.  I am a SAHM and have been since the birth of our first, Kyleigh.  We have learned to cherish our privacy.  We enjoy time with family and friends.  We are looking forward to Brian's retirement and the next stage of our lives...full time hobby farming.  We have been on this little nugget of land (20 acres) since May 2011

As for the first of resolutions I am working to maintain this blog on a regular basis to record our history.  To share with any and all who wish to read.  I appreciate you all and thank you for taking time out of your lives to read a little about mine.  It's also a way to keep family and friends up to date on our little world.  Our family and friends are spread out, really spread out.

I am looking to have a more "natural" lifestyle, resolution #2.  It can be called many things; homesteading, hobby farming, sustainable living, etc.  I am interested in all aspects.  I am especially interested in reducing our "footprint" and learning to rely on ourselves and our land.  I am not a "survivalist" nor do I see zombie attacks in my future.  I like the idea of having a well stocked pantry, a healthy garden, happy children and animals and much more.  I am interested in so many things.  I have so many ideas.  I have so got to start somewhere, babystepping like "Bob."  Since we are so far north I have focused on things I can do INSIDE the house.

Inside the house it's saving money and DIY plans.  I have been making my own laundry detergent for about four months now.  It is simple and it works for us.   I use a powdered "recipe" which I have thrown together after much reading, researching and questioning online.  It smells good and works even better.  I NEVER thought I would leave my Tide, I LOVED Tide.  I also stretch my liquid fabric softener.  I don't remember where I saw the idea, sorry, but you just soak a cloth (I use old socks), in the softener then wring out and let it air dry and it's good for a LOT of drying cycles.  I use vinegar for my softener in the washer as well but the store bought helps with the static we have in our winter home.  I am tweaking a dishwasher soap "recipe" but its not quite there yet.  We have well water which is extremely hard and leaves spots all over our dishes.  So far I can only use the Finish tablets and rinse aid.  I use baking soda to scrub my tub and sinks.  I use vinegar for cleaning and mopping.  I made my own liquid hand soap, another I need to work on as this one is a bit on the drying side for me.  No smell of onions or garlic are left after washing with this soap, Yay!

This week I have taken the plunge and started working on making bath soap, shampoo, conditioner and face cleanser.  There are so many ideas and "formulas" online so I am sorting out and just going with my gut.  Today was the first day I used the shampoo/conditioner.  I'm really hoping it works well because we have a lot of hair in this house and shampoo is getting ridiculously expensive.  ~Did I mention I am a tightwad?~  I'll report back on the results of the hair at a later date.

Also on the list is resolution #3, more healthful eating.  It's a goal of mine to grow as much as I can here on our land.  Vegetables, fruits, herbs, meats and more.  I have a small area of raised beds and I was able to get  a little bit of veggies this past summer.  I didn't take care of them as I should have, I accept the blame.  I am hoping to do a better job of it this year and expand in the years to come.  I would like fruit trees/bushes and maybe one day I'll even have grapes...we have a perfect area for them.  As for meats and such, we have poultry for now.  We don't eat our birds, we are gonna have to get over that but the kids won't quit naming them all!  We do use the eggs and I've realized just how much I've come to depend on the ladies.  The turkeys and the ducks are just pure entertainment for now.  Eventually we would like to get pigs, goats and a cow.  Oh, we do have bunnies but they are not for consumption.  ;-)  Nor is the horse...lol

With having all of the "food" items, I will need to learn to preserve everything.  I have canned before but I'm not great with it.  I will certainly need more schooling there.  Also, smoking meats would be useful.  I am the family jerky maker...hehehe  and with the fall animal harvesting we've done, I really need to figure out sausages and such for the venison.  Good Lord, I don't know how we'll get that out of the freezer!

So, there you have it.  It's the first installment of my resolutions for 2013.  I'm a work in progress just like the farm.  There is always something new to learn and I like learning.  Every day is a new opportunity for us...

Carpe Diem

~Ash

KFC and Kraft KopyKats

Good Afternoon.

I figured I would post a quick note about last night's dinner.  Turned out fabulous!  And yes, while eating we found a PBS show highlighting "Soul Food."  Yep, not the most healthful but everything in moderation, right?  LOL I found a few recipes on Pinterest and figured it was time to try them out.  This is where the recipes are posted.  We had the "KFC Chicken" and the "Kraft Mac & Cheese."  I also made a quick cole slaw to complete the meal.

The cole slaw was simple.  I used red/green cabbage, carrots, spinach (yes) and dill pickles.  I ran everything through the shredder then added the "dressing."  I used mayo, apple cider vinegar, kosher salt and a few hits of cayenne.  I had a few substitutions/changes to the chicken and mac.  Our grocery store didn't have tomato cup of soup so I used a tomato bullion.  I soaked the chicken in a salt water bath before breading, as well.  I also added heavy whipping cream, pepper and seasoning salt to the mac.  It was a big hit!  The boys took it for lunch today, what was left of it after the hubbs inhaled four pieces of chicken.  You read that right. FOUR!  The reviews on the leftover lunch, "fantastic."  Go figure.  Next time I am definitely adding the collards to the menu and some biscuits, but last night was last minute dinner decision.

Hope to hear from anyone who tried these or other recipes on the link.  There are several I would like to try.  Have a relaxing evening.  

~Ash

Super Easy Supper

Good Day All.

It's SNOWING!!!  Yay! Maybe not...  It's gonna be a freezing cold weekend here in Montana.  Down in the negatives tonight and single digit/teens for highs.  We'll see just how much snow we get here, looks like we are only in for about 6".  Puts me in the mood for some good comfort foods.  We keep our thermostat set really low (64*F) so I like to take the opportunity to use the oven as often as I can.  So, in keeping with the theme, I have decided to post a quick and easy casserole for my first recipe.  The kiddos and I threw this together one night while the hubby was out of town.  Please excuse the photo quality, or lack thereof.  I just randomly decide to take pictures of meals.  I suppose it's time to learn the art of "beauty" shots.  Know what I mean?  LOL

Pizza Casserole

Ingredients

1 Package of Pasta (we used small shells)

Pizza Sauce (we used leftover spaghetti sauce)

Pepperoni

Ham

Mozzarella Cheese

Italian Bread Crumbs

* Preheat oven to 350 F

Cook pasta according to package, drain.  While pasta is cooking, prep your “toppings” as you wish.  We cut up pepperoni and used leftover diced ham. Mix sauce, toppings and pasta, even a little mozzarella, and place in baking dish.  Top with mozzarella and then bread crumbs.  Cover with foil and cook until bubbly, about 30 min.  Remove foil and brown the top for a few more minutes.  Serve with garlic bread.

**Any pasta/topping could be used and a side salad would go well too**

I hope this helps someone.  I know I am always looking for new ideas.  It's even better when I can use leftovers and clear out the fridge a little.  No one in this house likes leftovers so it's a good cover.  And who can go wrong with pizza, right?

May you all have a joyous day.  Give out a little extra love today, I bet there's someone near you who could use it.  It's a great day for cuddling too.

Comfort Food and Hugs go great together.

~Ash

Wonderful Wednesday

Good Morning.  Here is a view from our front porch.  I wonder why it's called Big Sky Country?  I used panoramic on this and it's still only a little slice of the sky.

You can't even see the wind!  LOL

So, today I will be trying to figure out a little more of this technology.  I am hoping to get some recipes posted.  There just isn't too much excitement outside with all the cold and wind.  I figure maybe some warm and hearty recipes would be good with this weather.  Here's to Hump Day.  Wish me luck.

Have a Wonderful Wednesday.

~Ash

Kitchen Gardening

Welcome Everyone.

It's Monday, again.  A new adventure on the 'ole farm.  Today I am planting a few seeds to see if I can get them to grow indoors.  Winter is just so long here, I can't wait.  I've focused on herbs for the most part.  I did plant some beans and tomato seeds, you can never have enough tomatoes.  I love to cook.  Why is it I have never maintained herbs indoors?  I've planted and grown and forgotten.  I've been a lazy gardener the last couple of years.  Time to change that one.  No more excuses!  It doesn't matter if it's pretty so long as it grows.  What is my obsession with patterned raised beds anyway?  Neat, clean lines in a garden...I am a little OCD about some things.  I am in awe of those who can place plants haphazardly.  Most of the time, it looks fantastic.  I am trying to loosen up a bit and get out of the "meticulously landscaped yard of suburbs."  I miss my yard and my old house.  I do not miss having neighbors on top of neighbors.  I am trying to embrace the natural landscaping.  I should probably sketch out some ideas.  I will be taking it slow this year and only grow a few different veggies.  Think quality, not quantity.  I have a bad habit of getting overly optimistic and usually plant too much and get overwhelmed, resulting in disaster.  I should also admit to being a composting nightmare.  I always put off and then forget the whole "stirring" of the pile.  I have found a few interesting ideas on Pinterest I may try, we'll see.

So there it is.  It's 7 January and I am already itching to get into the soil.  One babystep at a time.  I am thankful to have had the turkeys and ducks working on the garden areas for me.  I should let the chickens out soon also.  They have been staying close to the coop with all the cold weather.  I'm sure they are ready to get out and roam in some sunshine, warm sunshine.  It's also super windy again today.  I can't blame them for staying in, I am too.

What are your ideas/plans for gardening this year?  Please share.

TTFN

~Ash

3 Kings Day/Epiphany

Good Afternoon.

Today is Epiphany, or Three Kings Day.  The start of the Mardi Gras season!  A celebration of remembrance of the 3 Wise Men visiting the baby Jesus.  Many people take their tree/decorations down on this day.  My decor got the heave ho two days after Christmas, thank you Brian.  This means its time to start thinking about the King Cakes!!!  I love the food associated with Mardi Gras in our house.  King Cakes, Gumbo, Etoufee, Jambalaya, Dirty Rice...it's all wonderful.  Not sure what will be our menu for Fat Tuesday this year but I can say I'm excited about it!  A celebration of the birth of Christ leading up to Lent is a good time for all.  The prep for the solemn remembrance of Jesus's Crucifixion and the joy of His Resurrection.

Not much else to say today.  I dropped the hubby off at the airport and then took Nick to PetCo to look at some fish.  He ended up bringing home a baby betta and two ghost shrimp.  Let's all cross our fingers, please.  He doesn't always have good luck with fish.

AND, last but not least for today....Lucy's 12th Birthday is Saturday, the 12th!  Where does the time go?

Have a Wonderful Week.

~Ash

Stretching and Relaxing

Hello Friday.

We've made it through Christmas. Yay!!!  We had a wonderful time with friends, old and new.  It was nice to go stress free (as much as possible) and really enjoy the time together.  We feasted, we laughed, we sat.  Yes, sat.  It was so nice.  Everyone appeared to enjoy themselves and shared in good times.  Here is what our feasting consisted of:

*Christmas Eve (all homemade)

Salsa
Guacamole
Corn Chips
Tamales (pork and venison)
Beef and Cheese Enchiladas
Cheese Enchiladas
Enchiritos for Kyleigh
A Few Soft Tacos
Mexican Rice
Refried Beans (ok, so those were canned...ssshhhh)


*Christmas Day

Breakfast Casserole
Monkey Bread
Kale Chips
Honey Ham
"Grannie" Mac and Cheese
Collard Greens
Jellied Cranberries
Rolls
Cheesecake

It was a feast fit for all.  I'm still not really very hungry but a ham sandwich does sound fantastic.  Now it's time to use up all those leftovers and see how far they go.  I'm creating a list and welcome any ideas and/or suggestions.

Split Pea and Ham Soup
Black Eyed Peas with Ham (New Year's)
Bean Burritos
Nachos


And FREEZING many Tamales and Enchiladas!

May you all have a wonderful and safe New Year.  And may the Lord continue to Bless everyone in the coming year.  Much Love.

~Ash