Whey is such a good helper in your kitchen.  It has a lot of minerals.  One tablespoon of whey in a little water will help digestion.  It is a remedy that will keep your muscles young.  It will keep your joints moveable and ligaments elastic. When age wants to bend your back, take whey ...  ~ Hannah Kroeger Ageless Remedies from Mother's Kitchen (taken from Nourishing Traditions)

I think I should definitely start including more whey into my diet; young muscles, moveable joints and elasticity of ligaments will come in handy! 

I purchased goat's milk and organic non-homogenized cow's milk yesterday for cheese and yogurt making, so now I'll be able to have some good quality whey, as well.  I'd rather have raw milk; but you do the best you can, and at the moment, this is the best quality milk I can get. 

Now, to decide what to make with my milk, suggestions anyone?  I will definitely make a quart of yogurt from the cow's milk, probably some buttermilk, and I was thinking of trying one of the soft cheeses ... I saw a recipe for lemon cheese in Home Cheesemaking that sounded very interesting, and I already have the ingredients for that one.  Those of you who make goat's milk cheese, please tell me what type of soft cheeses are simple to make and the tastiest.  Recipes would be most welcome, of course! 

I know I neglected to post the last update on the Real Food Challenge; but as only a couple of people seemed to be participating, and I didn't do so well with the last weeks of the challenge I decided to skip it.  Let's just say that I keep my food as real as is practical, and still have plenty of room for improvement ! Val, and anyone else who participated, feel free to comment and share how you fared in the last week of the challenge.

I'll be waiting for your cheesemaking suggestions! 

Blessings,

Catherine

Organic gardening has become all the rage, and for good reason. Organic means the practice of natural growing techniques,  non-chemical fertilizers, and pesticides, and that means healthier plants, and in the mix, a healthier You!

When planting gardens, there are many things to consider, from soil alkalinity, to rainfall. One of the best ways to solve difficulty in both of these areas is to mulch. Mulch provides a way to cushion the soil from harsh sun, drought, and keep it more aerable.  Mulches ranges from rubber and plastic, to living. All offer the benefits of weed control.  Some prefer to use an organic mulch of leaves, straw and hay. But, only one offers the chance to "treat and eat," and that is "living" mulch. So, what exactly is a living mulch?

A living mulch is using under-story, and companion planting, to form a canopy that blocks the sun from reaching those pesky little weeds that are trying to invade your garden plot. And, it is edible!

I call living mulch "magnificent mulch," because it is one of the least expensenive, and easiet ways to shelter the soil, while providing the added benefits of more food on the table.

How do you create a living mulch?

First, it is important to find what plants grow well together, because like companion planting, you need to know which benefit each other. Living mulches must contribute to the growth habit of those plants it understories.

The following is an example of a garden plan that shows a list of plants, and their living mulch counterparts.  You will notice that some of the living mulch plants are harvested quickly and might require a second sowing, but the benefits far outweigh the negatives.

Tomato with Basil as an understory

Bush Beans with cumcumbers or squash

Cabbages with dill or sage.  Sage helps deter cabbage butterfly.

Eggplants with lettuces

Potato with onions

Brussel sprouts with spinach

Beans with oregano

Sunflowers with melons'

Sage with carrots

Jalepeno and hot peppers understoried with cilantro, or sweet basil

Kohlrabi with mint

Mustard with cauliflower

Corn with tansy or summer savory.

Borage with your strawberries will help deter predatory insects. On the downside, it can also deter honeybees.

Radishes with turnips

On a different note, but equally important is pest control.  Natural pest deterrants can be found in many flowers and herbs. For example Geraniums, help prevent infestations of Japanese beatles, (abundant down here in the South). They are good companion plantings for Peppers and tomatos.  Marigolds help deter the dreaded nematodes, and beet leaf hoppers. The dwarf varieties thrive as underplants for cukes, squash, and kale.

The list goes on and on!  The main thing to remember is that as in anything, perserverance is the key!

These are yummy cookies, very rich in flavor, with molasses, and lots of spices. Yummy winter cookies.

To start, you need 1 stick (1/2 cup) soft butter and 1/4 c shortening.


And 1 cup Brown Sugar


Mix those until creamy.


Beat in an egg


Stir in 1/2 cup Molasses




Now add 1 tsp salt


Two teaspoons baking soda


1 teaspoon each of cinnamom...


Nutmeg


Allspice


and Ginger


Now mix together, adding 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour. Be sure to scrape the sides occasionally. Mix well.


Now if you use plastic wrap, cover the dough with the wrap, pressing against the dough. I don't buy it, so I am placing my dough in a smaller bowl with a lid. Put it in the fridge, and chill 1 - 2 hours.


While I was making the dough, Hickory was sitting on a little table, intently looking out the window.


Of course.


...

Now after an hour or two, heat your oven to 350 degrees.

Line your baking stone/sheet with parchment paper. And put some sugar in a small bowl. 1/2 a cup or so.

Then using a spoon or small scoop, scoop out about a rounded Tablespoon of dough, and roll it into a ball.


Roll the ball in the sugar to coat.


And place on the baking stone.


Bake the cookies for 9-10 minutes. They will crack slightly and still be somewhat soft.
Let them cool a couple minutes before removing from the paper, and let them cool completely. Using a couple sheets of parchment paper makes this job very easy. I just use one baking stone, and keep it in the oven. when one batch is done, I slide the paper and cookies onto a cooling rack, and using another rack, slide the next batch right onto the stone. While one batch is baking, I can be preparing the other. It cuts down the time that the oven is on.

When they are all done, you have these.

Enjoy!




***



Printable Version:

Chewy Molasses Cookies

1/2 c butter (soft)
1/4 c shortening
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 c molasses
1 tsp salt
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp allspice
1 tsp nutmeg
2 1/2 c all-purpose flour

Sugar for rolling

In a large mixing bowl, beat butter, shortening and brown sugar together until creamy.
Beat in egg and molasses.
Stir in salt, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, allspice and nutmeg.
Stir in flour.
Be sure to scrape the sides of bowl to mix well.
Cover dough with plastic wrap, or place in bowl with lid.
Put it in the fridge, and chill 1 - 2 hours.

Heat your oven to 350 degrees.
Line your baking stone/sheet with parchment paper.
Put some sugar in a small bowl. 1/2 a cup or so.
Then using a spoon or small scoop, scoop out about a rounded Tablespoon of dough, and roll it into a ball.
Roll the ball in the sugar to coat.
And place on the baking stone.
Bake the cookies for 9-10 minutes. They will crack slightly and still be somewhat soft.
Let them cool a couple minutes before removing from the paper, and let them cool completely. Using a couple sheets of parchment paper makes this job very easy. I just use one baking stone, and keep it in the oven. when one batch is done, I slide the paper and cookies onto a cooling rack, and using another rack, slide the next batch right onto the stone. While one batch is baking, I can be preparing the other. It cuts down the time that the oven is on.

Enjoy!

Conni is an army wife and homeschooling mom of three, living in North Carolina. You can find out more about her on her blog: MamaHen

This week's Featured Blogger is HerbsandHoney at Gather Around For Kitchen Blessings. 

Stop by and congratulate Herbs & Honey for being this week's Featured Blogger, and while you're there be sure to check out her great posts like Kitchen Blessings #1 and #2 and read how she likes to spice things up in Kitchen Blessings #3. 

This recipe for Homemade Pasta Dough sounds very tasty, and I think that just might be "what's for dinner" at my house tonight. 

Gather Around For Kitchen Blessings is a lovely blog and is full of encouragement, stop by for a visit today, you'll be glad you did! 

Please help me choose the next Featured Blogger.  If you have a blogger you'd like to nominate as our Featured Blogger of the Week, send me an email at senioreditor@homesteadblogger.com .  Keep in mind that Featured Bloggers must be at least 18 years of age and their blog must be encouraging, uplifting, and/or inspiring. 

Who knows, you may be our next featured blogger ! 

Blessings,

Catherine

Need some inspiration for crafty things to make and do?  The Crafty Crow (my favorite craft site) has a crafts from around the world theme this month, and oh the imaginative things that have been posted thus far: teacup candles from England, bubble spinners from Japan, rose syrup from India ... so many interesting things to craft.  Check it out and let me know which crafts you plan to try!  The rose syrup is a must for me and I do love the candles. 

Blessings,

Catherine :)

Since we're thinking Spring and Spring Cleaning around here this week, I thought we could share our favorite recipes for homemade clean. 

My favorite all-purpose cleaner is simply:

1 part distilled water

1 part white vinegar

a few drops of lemon essential oil

Mix in a spray bottle to clean away dust, dirt, fingerprints and other grimy stuff from most any hard surface! 

For scrubbing bubbles, sprinkle on a little baking soda and then spray with your vinegar solution for extra scrubbing power. 

There are lots of good recipes and tips in the archives of this topic; and I do hope some of you will share your own recipes and tips for making the homestead sparkly clean using homemade cleaners!  I look forward to reading what you use to spring clean.

Blessings,

Catherine :)