Abundant Springs
Mon 8 Mar 2010
Quote of the Day.......Tom Marshall
Posted in CLASSIC QUOTESWithout the work of the cross we would be quite helpless. The
cross enables us to come out free from under the heaviest and
most powerful mental bondage. Not all the power of Satan, or
sin, or habit can hold us captive any longer.
-- Tom Marshall
| 2 comments | Link
Mon 8 Mar 2010
I Think I need to Split my Hive This Year............
Posted in CRITTERS
Me working my hive.
My top bar hive is getting crowded. I am pretty sure it is time to split the hive. I have anoter top bar hive ready. But I have never tried to split a hive. Anyone have any advice for me??
| 1 comments | Link
Mon 8 Mar 2010
CHICKEN TORTILLA CASSEROLE
Posted in FROM THE KITCHENCHICKEN TORTILLA CASSEROLE
1/2 c. Onion, finely chopped
2 tbsp. Oil
1 clove garlic
8 oz. Salsa
4 c. Cold chicken broth
1/4 c. Parsley
3 tbsp. Corn starch
1/2 c. Sour cream
1/2 c. Mayonnaise
6 oz. Shredded Jack cheese
12 (6 inch) flour tortillas
Saut?in oil: Chicken, onion, garlic, set aside. Bring to a boil chicken broth and corn starch and cook 1 minute. Add cheese sour cream, mayonnaise, salsa and parsley. Combine 1 cup of sauce with the chicken mixture. Spoon mixture into tortillas and place seam down in baking dish. Pour remaining sauce over tortillas and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes. (2 pans may be needed).
| 1 comments | Link
Mon 8 Mar 2010
Chicken Fried Shrimp......from my inbox
Posted in FROM THE KITCHENChicken Fried Shrimp
In Texas we have chicken fried steak and chicken fried chicken and now: chicken fried shrimp. We were trying to come up with a nice crunchy breading for our shrimp and decided to batter it the same way we make fried chicken. It was a success-thick, crunchy breaded shrimp!
Serves 6
• 2 lbs shrimp, thawed, peeled, and de-veined
• 2 cups flour
• 1 tbsp salt
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 scant tsp baking soda (about 3/4 tsp)
• peanut or other oil for frying
1. In a medium bowl stir together 2 cups of flour, salt and garlic powder.
2. In a separate bowl or measuring cup, use a fork to stir together buttermilk, egg, baking powder and baking soda until foamy.
3. Holding a shrimp by the tail, coat first in flour then dip in buttermilk mixture, then coat again in flour. Place shrimp on a plate. Repeat until all shrimp are coated.
4. Heat oil in a pot or deep fryer to about 350°F.
5. Carefully and quickly add shrimp one at a time to the hot oil. You will need to do this in several batches to keep from over crowding your oil.
6. Fry shrimp until breading is golden brown and shrimp are cooked all the way through, about 2 min depending on how hot your oil stays. You can always scoop out one shrimp and cut it in half to see if they are cooked all the way through yet.
Serve with cocktail sauce and French fries or hush puppies and biscuits.
| 0 comments | Link
Sun 7 Mar 2010
Baked Sweet Potato Sticks
Posted in FROM THE KITCHEN
Baked Sweet Potato Sticks
2 medium sweet potatoes
2 medium sweet potatoes
1/2 tsp. salt (optional)
1/8 tsp. pepper (optional)
Preheat oven to 350°F and spray two baking sheets with cooking spray.
Peel the sweet potatoes and cut into slices no thicker than 1/4 inch. Stack two or three slices at a time and cut strips no wider than 1/4 inch.
In a medium-size bowl, beat the egg whites with a fork or a whisk for about a minute until they are frothy.Place the potato strips into the bowl and gently toss them until well coated.
Lay the sticks on the baking sheets in a single layer. The potatoes should not touch each other.
Bake the potatoes for 30-35 minutes, checking them after 15 minutes to make sure they're browning on the bottom but are not turning completely brown.
Remove the baking sheets from the oven and sprinkle the potato chips with salt and pepper. Use a spatula to remove the sticks from the pans. (You may need to use a bit of force, but most of the sticks should remain intact.)
Hint: You can use kosher salt to season the potatoes. It's fun to put the salt in a small bowl so kids can take a pinch and toss it on the fries.
BUTTERMILK BLUE CHEESE DIP
yield: about 2/3 cup of dressing
2 oz. dry blue cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup buttermilk
dash of onion powder
freshly ground black pepper to taste
For a chunky dip, mix ingredients in a bowl, chill and serve. For a smooth dip, combine ingredients in a blender, whirl until smooth.
| 0 comments | Link
Sat 6 Mar 2010
Cinnamon Snaps
Posted in FROM THE KITCHEN
| 0 comments | Link
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Food Storage and Preps, just notes
Posted in The Homestead KitchenBeing Prepared...links and thoughts
Cooking With Food Storage cookbook, compiled by Preparedness Brings Peace Blog, free online! Talk about a great resource to get you started on using your food storage for daily purposes :o)Storing food and other items is essential these days. Even if you live in a tunnel and don't think there is to be any issues within the world at large, or that the economy will continue to lower itself into levels our generation is not familiar with dealing with...there are still storms, hurricanes, tornadoes, floods and more that plague our food delivery systems as well as the food sources. No one is untouched by the effects of the world around them. Being prepared is just daily life anymore.
But, some people simply don't understand the concept of food storage and preparedness. Some merely think it's purpose is to weather a storm. True enough, it could be just that for your family. They stock some canned goods, maybe some bottled water and a few candles and they pat themselves on the back with a job well-done.
Still others will go a bit farther and stock up some packaged MRE's from a survival shop. They have gallons of water stored away, seeds (non-hybrid and heirloom, of course) and other things. Again, patting themselves on the back for being aware and prepared.
These are all good things, don't get me wrong, but remember those folks who went into prep mode before Y2K? Remember all the great bargains to be found the following year when they sold all those items? Or some who probably, even now, have the odd can of tuna or stray box of hamburger helper still sitting in a back closet somewhere...
They've prepared boxes and cases of food, buckets of grains and beans, containers of water and what-not and then simply put them into a closet or garage and never think of them again, waiting for a bump in life to bring them back to mind. Something happens and they go for some beans and powdered milk, or some wheat to grind and find mold, bugs, sour powdered milk They didn't gather information about proper storage and it's all been for naught. All that planning, all that money...it's useless.
Or time comes that the pantry is needed (storm affects, financial issues, etc.), and you pull a bag of dry beans and a box of powdered milk out and...stare blankly at it sitting on your counter top because you have no clue how to cook any of it, or have any ideas for recipes to make.
You have to USE food storage. Food is alive -- or at least it should be :o) You are going to have supplies that simply sit and wait for use, sure, but your food storage needs to be used on a regular basis. Having 15 boxes of powdered milk tucked into the pantry is a good thing...until 2 years from now when it's starting to turn and sour on you and it's now barely a treat for the chickens and hogs.
Use it, rotate new to the back and old to the front, gather recipes....all these things are what make up a smart food storage and pantry system. Especially the gathering of recipes. All that powdered milk is great, but honestly, how much are you really going to drink in a reasonably amount of time? Gather recipes to baking and other cooking using that powdered milk. Gather recipes for those beans. Start making notes in your favorite recipes about subbing in some of those powdered eggs.
So...back to where I started. Preparedness Brings Peace has the Food Storage Cookbook online. It's a great start for putting those pantry items to use.
Family Home Storage Basic Recipes from All is Safely Gathered In.
Central Bean Company Recipes for using beans, tips on cooking beans, storing beans, even a sort of bean primer...useful information to print and keep handy.
And just to help pull your recipes into practical use, here is a Desktop Cookbook
| 1 comments | Link
Friday, March 5, 2010
Taking a Break and Preparedness Thoughts and Links
Posted in Around the HomesteadWe have some family things going on and I probably won't be posting until next week, unless something is already archived for posting (LOL...can't remember if I've set anything up!)
Enjoy! Maybe I'll come back next week with the Big Menu we set up :o)
How To Start Preparing for Hard Times
This is a neat site, basic, good information on all sorts of things, from starting to prepare on a tight budget, to storing food and water. I haven't looked through the rest of the pages at the site yet, though.
The Wonderbox Thermal Cooker
This just looks really neat :) Christmas gifts, maybe?
Homemade Vegetable Oil Lamp
Being Prepared...links and thoughts
Cooking With Food Storage cookbook, compiled by Preparedness Brings Peace Blog, free online! Talk about a great resource to get you started on using your food storage for daily purposes :o)Storing food and other items is essential these days. Even if you live in a tunnel and don't think there is to be any issues within the world at large, or that the economy will continue to lower itself into levels our generation is not familiar with dealing with...there are still storms, hurricanes, tornadoes, floods and more that plague our food delivery systems as well as the food sources. No one is untouched by the effects of the world around them. Being prepared is just daily life anymore.
But, some people simply don't understand the concept of food storage and preparedness. Some merely think it's purpose is to weather a storm. True enough, it could be just that for your family. They stock some canned goods, maybe some bottled water and a few candles and they pat themselves on the back with a job well-done.
Still others will go a bit farther and stock up some packaged MRE's from a survival shop. They have gallons of water stored away, seeds (non-hybrid and heirloom, of course) and other things. Again, patting themselves on the back for being aware and prepared.
These are all good things, don't get me wrong, but remember those folks who went into prep mode before Y2K? Remember all the great bargains to be found the following year when they sold all those items? Or some who probably, even now, have the odd can of tuna or stray box of hamburger helper still sitting in a back closet somewhere...
They've prepared boxes and cases of food, buckets of grains and beans, containers of water and what-not and then simply put them into a closet or garage and never think of them again, waiting for a bump in life to bring them back to mind. Something happens and they go for some beans and powdered milk, or some wheat to grind and find mold, bugs, sour powdered milk They didn't gather information about proper storage and it's all been for naught. All that planning, all that money...it's useless.
Or time comes that the pantry is needed (storm affects, financial issues, etc.), and you pull a bag of dry beans and a box of powdered milk out and...stare blankly at it sitting on your counter top because you have no clue how to cook any of it, or have any ideas for recipes to make.
You have to USE food storage. Food is alive -- or at least it should be :o) You are going to have supplies that simply sit and wait for use, sure, but your food storage needs to be used on a regular basis. Having 15 boxes of powdered milk tucked into the pantry is a good thing...until 2 years from now when it's starting to turn and sour on you and it's now barely a treat for the chickens and hogs.
Use it, rotate new to the back and old to the front, gather recipes....all these things are what make up a smart food storage and pantry system. Especially the gathering of recipes. All that powdered milk is great, but honestly, how much are you really going to drink in a reasonably amount of time? Gather recipes to baking and other cooking using that powdered milk. Gather recipes for those beans. Start making notes in your favorite recipes about subbing in some of those powdered eggs.
So...back to where I started. Preparedness Brings Peace has the Food Storage Cookbook online. It's a great start for putting those pantry items to use.
Family Home Storage Basic Recipes from All is Safely Gathered In.
Central Bean Company Recipes for using beans, tips on cooking beans, storing beans, even a sort of bean primer...useful information to print and keep handy.
And just to help pull your recipes into practical use, here is a Desktop Cookbook
| 0 comments | Link
Thu 4 Mar 2010
Spring Clean the Natural Way
Posted in FRUGAL LIVING
Spring Clean the Natural Way
Spring Cleaning the Natural, Green, Eco-friendly Way with Homemade Cleaners
Most of us are sick of the snow and are ready for spring. And that means giving our home a thorough cleaning and freshening to welcome the new season. Many women now are concerned about the chemicals in commercial cleaners, and desire to use healthy, natural products. What's nice is that we can make many of these products at home with ingredients we already have on hand. Here are some suggestions for natural cleaners.
1. Baking Soda
Baking soda is slightly abrasive and also deodorizes. It can be used on the stove, in sinks, and counters. Or you can sprinkle it on the carpet, allow it to stand for awhile, and then vacuum to clean and eliminate odors.
For oven surfaces, use baking soda and water. Make a paste and apply to the surface. Allow to stand overnight, and then scrub it off, making sure to wear gloves as you clean it.
2. White Vinegar - Lots of Uses Here
Vinegar can get rid of stains, remove grease, deodorize, and it is the only thing I ever use to clean windows and mirrors. It can also be combined with baking soda to help clean out drains that are clogged.
Vinegar can get odors out of fabrics. You need vinegar, a slice of bread, and a cardboard box. It must be large enough to hold the object and the bowl of vinegar. Put the box in an area where it won't be tipped, and then put the fabric in along with the vinegar in the bowl. Put the bread in the bowl. Close the box and seal it with tape. After 24 hours, open the box and allow the item to air out. The odor will be gone.
To wash windows or mirrors, take 1 cup of vinegar, 3 drops of a citrus essential oil like lemon or grapefruit, and 3 cups of warm water. Mix together and use a lint-free cloth to cleans any glass, windows, or mirrors.
Get rid of soap scum with this solution: 1 cup vinegar, 1 teaspoon of castile soap, 1/4 teaspoon of lavender essential oil, 1/2 cup warm water, and 1/2 teaspoon of grapefruit seed extract. Mix ingredients in spray bottle and shake well. Spray the area with soap scum. Leave on for about 15 minutes. Wipe off and rinse.
3. Hydrogen Peroxide
Peroxide bleaches, disinfects, and helps sanitize. Shower walls and counters can be wiped down with peroxide. Let it stand a few minutes and then rinse off. Mix peroxide with a little bit of cream of tartar to remove rings from the tub. Make a paste, apply to the ring, and then allow it to dry. Once it dries, use warm water to wash it off.
4. Cleaning Iron Cookware
Take a bit of steel wool and a damp cloth. Use the damp cloth to rub down the rion, then use the steel wool to scub. Rinse out the iron and dry it off. When you are finished, rub in a small amount of vegetable oil to help prevent rust in the future.
5. Copper and Brass Metals
Make a mixture of baking soda and lemon juice to clean anything made of copper or brass. Rub in the mixture and then polish it away. If it is heavily soiled, use table salt and hot vinegar to soak the metal. When the shine appears, rinse the item.
6. Silver Cleaning
Line a bowl with aluminum foil. Place silver in the boil. Sprinkle with baking soda. Pour boiling water over to cover the silver. Use a plastic or wooden spoon to lift silver or move around in bowl. Remove carefully and place on towel or paper towel. Dry silver and shine with a soft rag. Here is a Youtube video that demonstrates this.
7. Cleaning Chrome
Mix together 1 pint of water and 1 tablespoon of ammonia. Rub mixture on chrome to remove dirt.
8. Clean Smelling House
In the olden times, women were advised to open windows and air out their houses when they cleaned. This is still a simple way to get a fresh-smelling home. So instead of resorting to air fresheners that put chemicals into the air, open the windows for awhile. This brings in fresh air, gets rid of impurities, and eliminates stale odors.
9. Use Outside Clotheslines
Instead of putting curtains and towels in the dryer, hang them outside on the clothesline. There is nothing so pleasant as the fragrance of clothes that have been hung in the sun and fresh air.
For more tips on keeping your home fresh and clean, visit http://speedclean.
.
| 1 comments | Link
Thu 4 Mar 2010
Fresh Strawberry Cobbler
Posted in FROM THE KITCHEN
Serving size: 8
1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk
3 cups fresh strawberries, cut in half lengthwise
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter or margarine, chilled
Beat 1/4 cup softened butter at medium speed with electric mixer; gradually add 3/4 cup sugar, beating well. Add egg and vanilla extract, mixing well.
Combine 1 1/4 cups flour, baking powder, and salt; add to butter mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Spoon into a greased 8-inch square baking dish. Arrange berries on top, cut side down.
Combine 1/4 cup flour and 1/4 cup sugar; cut in 1/4 cup butter until crumbly. Sprinkle over strawberries. Bake at 350 degrees F for 1 hour or till tests done with wooden pick. Serve warm with ice cream or whipped topping.
| 0 comments | Link
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