The Start of a Homesteader Mom

Mini Pumpkin Butterscotch Muffins

These are SO GOOD!!!

MINI PUMPKIN BUTTERSCOTCH MUFFINS (allrecipes)

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1/2 cup melted butter

1 cup canned pumpkin

1 (6 ounce) package butterscotch chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease mini-muffin pan with cooking spray.

Sift together the flour, brown sugar, white sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl. Whisk together the eggs, butter, and pumpkin in a separate bowl. Mix the flour mixture with the egg mixture. Stir in the butterscotch chips; pour into each cup of the muffin pan to about 3/4 full.

Bake in preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean, 10 to 12 minutes.

Granny Square Tutorial with Pictures

Alright my friends, I am going to attempt my first EVER sewing tutorial!   I told you that I was taught how to make a granny square while I was on my Ladies Retreat.  It was so much easier for me to learn from the ladies teaching than it was for me to look at a book and try.  The picture quality is not wonderful, I just saw some of the pictures I took last night, but hopefully you will get the hang of it as easily as I did and you will be turning out some beautiful squares as well!
If you are a Newbie to Crochet HERE is a site to help you with basic stitches, you will see me refer to several in this tutorial... Chain, Slip Stitch, Double Crochet.

Step 1: Chain 5
Cool, you got that! Alrighty we are on our way!

Step 2: You want to turn that chain into a round so you will go to the first chain and slip stitch...
Now we have our center, we will build on from there! Woohoo!

Step 3: Chain 3
Here we are building out from the center and we will begin making a larger circle to build on from here

Step 4: Two(2) Double Crochets and chain 1
Alright, here we are in process of making our circle, so what we are going to do is we are going to double crochet 2 times and then chain 1.  The chain will make the space we need to help us along in future steps...

Step 5: 3 Double Crochets and chain 1 (3 more times) slip stitch to complete the circle
Now we have a circle!! Yippee... but wait I told you we were making Granny Squares right?  Ok, bear with me we will get to the square in a minute.
So to make sure we are cool to this point, counting the first 3 chains as one DC (double crochet) you will have 4 sets of 3 double crochets with one chain in between.... clear as mud??

Step 6: Chain 3 and then double crochet 2, chain 1, double crochet 3 and chain 1 in the same hole
If you will look at your round you will see 3 double crochets and then a hole/space in between each set of 3.  This space is where you will go into to make your next layer or sets of 3.  Does this make sense... I am trying!
What you are doing now is building your edges... we can't make this granny square stay a circle any longer, we are going to put some corners on it!

Step 7: Look for next hole, double crochet 3 and chain 1~ 2 times in each hole.  (You will do this in each hole till you meet back up with your first set.  This will form your first square. Slip Stitch to complete the square and now you are ready to build on. 

Step 8: Chain 3, double crochet 2, chain 1
You will notice that there is now a hole between each of the four edges, you are going to do almost the same thing in each hole... meaning you don't want an edge you just want a set of 3 dc's to fill the hole.
So dc three times and chain one and move to your edge.

Step 9: Double Crochet 3 times, chain 1, Double Crochet 3 times, chain 1 in corner hole.
Again, you are making corners for this square, you should be catching on to a pattern if I have successfully portrayed this to you.  So in each of the corners you are making 3 dc's, chain 1, 3 dc's, chain 1.  Simple!

Step 10: Slip stitch to join the square together

Step 12: All the way baby... go all around just as I told you, come together again, slip stitch and tie off your end. 
The lady who taught me only does 4 layers, but of course you can do more if you like. 
Now you want a bunch of these... so get to it!
I don't have nearly as many as I would like to have had done by now, but remember I am teaching myself to hold the crochet needle/hook in the proper way, so I am SLOW JOE right now. 
Once you get several made you can do all kinds of things with them...
Make them into an afghan by stitching them together, make potholders out of them by putting several layers together on top of each other and stitching, use them as coasters, make a pillow cover, make your dd a doll blanket out of a few... whatever you like.
I hope you enjoyed and understood my attempt of spreading the knowledge that I received this past weekend.  If you see a mistake, feel free to email me or message me and I will change it, and now go get your yarn and your hook and go for it!  If I can do it YOU can do it!

With Love From My Homestead to Yours,
~Chas~
Chasity L. Burrell
Senior Editor Homesteadblogger
Heritage Acres Farm

laundry, cicadas and more........

Ok, I've worked out and got most of the laundry on the line. If only I could get Joey to get school done. I also called a HS mom that I forgot did not have email to get her uptodate.

While I was out hanging up my laundry (singing Oh What a Beautiful Day--just not for anything that had to listen to that!ROTFL!), a cicada and I had a go round about who had rights to the post for the clothesline. Seems that I'm not doing a good job of sharing.;) During our loud discourse, I heard what I thought was the garage door slam. Given that I'm slightly prone to paranoia, this was quickly dousing my beautiful day!ROTFL! The only thing I can figure is that JOey was messing w/the back storm door and was gone by the time I looked there. So I finished hanging up laundry, vacuumed and need to contemplate a shower (really, not much to contemplate!LOL). I decided to live on the edge and not mop this week either. Oh the horrors!ROTFL! But we were gone all weekend and Dh and Mat have been gone so...........;)

Mat's science in the near future will be to tell me if those are really cicada eggs on the clothesline posts. I"m pretty sure that he told me that they lay eggs in wood........

Yesterday--Iowa and errand day

Shayna's school

Shayna wants to got to cooking school.  Fine, but the school wants us to pay for the whole thing.  The grants they offer is only 5 thousand.  It will cost 55 thousand for her to go for 21 months.   That means the payment will be 22 hundred a month.   The offer the parents loans and such.    We have an appointment next week to see about her going and what all it will take to get her in.   Pray for us.

God Bless, mj

We started School & how Kristi learned to ride

We started school yesterday and it is going ok.  Kristi does not like her bible study , it has to much stuff of marriage.   So I have to find a new bible study.   Other wise it is going good.  One thing she loves about being home schooled is we can us everyday things for classes.  Kristi loves p.e. because she gets to ride her horse for it.  It is hard work to learn how to ride english after riding after riding western for 13 years. 

Do I ever tell how Kristi got started riding??     I do not think I did so I will tell now:   When Kristi was 3 years old I was working at a race horse rescue.  Kristi went to work with me.  She loved to help feed and water and help me with the vet care.  She had away of making the horse relax while I was doing this like cleaning wounds , stitching them up.  Kristi also had away calming the horse fresh off the track that were highly drugged going threw withdrawals. 

 After awhile Kristi just ran around like she owned the place.  She would help everyone out she could and just go in pastures and pet and love them.  It was cute to see this tiny 3 year old girl going from horse to horse , under their legs.  The horse took care of her.

  One day she was off in with King he was a 19 hand gelding , next thing I know a barn worker come running to me yelling that Kristi is on King.   I run to go see what was going on and yup she was on King.  He was running with her on his back.   No bridle, halter, saddle , but she was on him having a blast.  We all just watched her for awhile then King brought her to me.  I took her off.

  After seeing them a few more times I just left her alone.  Kristi never fell off, how she got on remained a mystery.  We all got use to seeing her going under the horse, riding them.  When we had a new worker they would freak out and come running to us and tell us what she was doing and we just laughed.  They would look at us like we were crazzy , the would tell us what she was doing and we would laugh. 

 After awhile of them watching her they understood.  At 3 years old she had the run of the ranch and rode like a pro.  Yes,  my 3 year old daughter learned how to ride horses on race horse going full speed.   I will look for some pictures of her at work and post them soon.

Kristi worked with me there until she was about 4 and a half then   we started our own animal rescue. 

God Bless, mj

a fun morning

 Today was Logan's first day at pre-school, actually it was just milk and cookie day.  We were only there about  1 1/2 hours but he really enjoys school.  We arrived and he found his "hook" to hang his coat, he is in the 3 day class this year and we have to walk 1/2 of the hallway to hang his coat.  Last year his "hook" was about 6th on the wall, this year it's last because his last name starts with a "Y".  So it was cute to watch him look over the wall for his "hook".  We then went into their classroom and had "play" time for about a half hour or so and then we sat down and had milk and cookies.  This year there is 16 children in his class, almost doubled from last years class.  That is there limit and usually they have some that drop out for one reason or another.  But he just LOVES school and is looking forward to going on Friday.  I am thinking of asking some of the moms to have a day or two each week to walk out the park, we'll see if anyone wants to or not before the weather starts getting to cold to walk.  But usually we can walk almost up till December most of the time. 

  I made a triple batch of oatmeal cookies when we got home this morning.  Those are John's favorites, so he'll be happy.  I think tomorrow I will try and make a chocolate chip pound cake.  Tonight for dinner is steak on the grill, baked potato's, fresh green beans from the garden and salad.  I may make an apple crisp with vanilla ice cream, we'll see.  After dinner we have Logan's soccer game and I want to run to Weis and get some sale items that end today.  I was lucky and got 10 FREE sarah lee bread coupons, and I still have 4 to use by Saturday, so I will get the other 4 tonight and toss them in the freezer.  Also they had Edy's dibs snack packs for $2.99 and you get a $2 grocery coupon with each pack you bought, I have gotten 8 so far and want to get 3 more tonight, I use the $2.00 catalina towards the next pack for $2.99 and pay 99c for something that normally sells for $4.99.  And they are delicious.. yummy, although I have only eaten 1/2 pack that Logan hasn't wanted.  I am finding it harder and harder to find "good deals" at the grocery store.  I really can't believe the prices of things and I have cut down drastically at the store because of it.  Even doubling or tripling coupons that I use to get things for FREE I now find I have to pay something for.  And if I don't really use it I cut down to a few instead of buying 10 of something I might only get 3.  But that's ok, we are down to less children now then we had last winter so our budget has been less for food buy about 50%.  I did see some good deals at Weis tommorrow I will be getting napkins for FREE and Dishliquid for FREE.  But to get food anymore FREE is much harder to come by.  But I am still lucky to be able to get what I do get because of double and triple coupons.  I didn't make it to superfresh though the last time they tripled but hopefully I can make it next time.

  Well I need to go I think I will take the kids on the bike trail that they built behind our house in the new housing development.  They enjoy riding bike back there and it's in the mid 80's today and tomorrow it may hit 90 so we will enjoy the warm weather while it's here.

Have a great day..

Lisa

Cathing up

I'm behind over here, basically I've been posting on my homeschooling blog, and can't decide if I should close this one or keep it. I don't have much to share here, unless I just share eveything from my HSing blog.

This was on August 26th or 27th

So tuesday evening my ds was outside playing, like he does. Although lately its been other tings, more like riding bike and such. He had to turn the water on for my patch of sod in front of the house, the only grass that's really green, the rest looks brown and crusty thanks to no rain.

Anyway I looked outside to see where he was and much to my amazement there's my almost 11 year old playing in the mud, well kind of, not like smack dab in the middle....lol.

Here is what I saw....

In the end he made a stream flowing into a pond of sorts. This area of our driveway collects water anyway when it rains so its not like he made this....lol.

Then he came in to tell me he found soemthing, this is what he found.

And here he is capturing the toad. I don't know why since I may have a boy but he's so not a bug/creature boys....lol

So there you have an exciting moment of my life with my son.....lol

Quote of the Day....Abraham Lincoln

There is only one way to bring up a child in the way he should
go and that is to travel that way yourself.

      -- Abraham Lincoln

Flavored Vinegars

I recieved these in my inbox today . They sound so fresh and inviting I wanted to share them.

Grandma Rosie

Blueberry Vinegar

3/4 cup fresh blueberries
white vinegar, to fill

Crush blueberries and put into half pint jar. Fill with white vinegar. Cover and
let stand in a cool place for 3 days.

Strain and fill bottle or leave in for a stronger flavor.

Makes: 1 half pint
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Chive Vinegar

chives, length of jar height or 1" lengths
1 lemon peel, 1" square
4 peppercorns
3 mustard seeds
white vinegar, to fill

Fill pint jar loosely with chives. Add lemon peel, peppercorns and mustard seeds.
Fill with vinegar. Cover.

Let stand in cool place for 4 weeks. Strain into pretty bottle. Two or three
lengths of chives can be left in botle for looks.

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Herb Vinegar

2 cups white cider or wine vinegar
1/2 cup chopped fresh herbs, basil, rosemary or tarragon thyme or oregano
3 to 4 whole garlic cloves, optional
1 fresh herb sprig per bottle, optional
1 whole red or green chili per bottle, optional

Place the vinegar in a non-aluminum saucepan and bring to a boil. Place the
chopped herbs in a clean, hot glass jar. Add the garlic. Pour the hot vinegar
over, cover and place in a cool, dark place for 5 days, stirring once a day.
Strain. Add the sprigs of fresh herbs and chili for a zestier taste and garnish.

Store in a cool, dark place for up to 2 months. Refrigerate for longer storage.

Makes: 2 cups
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 Italian Vinegar

2 sprigs fresh rosemary
2 sprigs fresh oregano
1 sprig fresh sage
2 sprigs fresh basil
1 garlic clove
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
1 pint white wine vinegar

Sterilize a glass bottle.

Insert spices in bottle. Add vinegar.

Let the mixture rest in a dark cabinet or closet for at least a month.

Makes: 2 cups
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Tarragon Vinegar

4 sprigs of tarragon, about 5 inches each
1 garlic clove, peeled
2 lemon peel, 1 inch square
2 black peppercorns
5 white vinegar, to fill

Fill pint jar carefully with tarragon, without bruising. Add garlic clove,lemon
peel and peppercorns.

Fill jar with vinegar. Cover. Let stand in a cool place for 4 weeks. Strain.

Return 1 sprig of tarragon to bottle for looks. Keeps at least 1 year.

Makes: 1 pint