We are having taco salad for dinner tonight.  I always cook up my hamburger and add taco seasonings to it before adding it to my salad.  I realized this morning I was out of taco seasoning and it was time to make more.  This is another product that I make myself now.  We are not real big fans of the taste of the taco seasonings I use to buy from my health food co-op and I wonder about MSG in it as well (the grocery store stuff definitely is full of yucky things typically).  I recently was reading an article (wish I could remember where now.. maybe Dr. Mercola? If I find it I will give the link).  It said that if a product lists “spices” in their ingredient list and they purchase bulk mixed spices from a supplier that adds MSG to their spice mix then the company that uses the spice mix does not have to claim that it contains MSG. So basically something can say it is MSG free but still may contain MSG if they have the word "spices" listed in the ingredients.  If you have MSG sensitivities like my hubby does or you just want to avoid it for health reasons …  read your labels carefully!   

Taco mix is so easy to make. It takes less than 15 minutes to make up a batch, the recipe doubles easily.  I usually make a double batch but today I did not have enough dried onion, so I settled for a single batch.   

Bulk Taco Seasoning Mix

¾ c dried onions
½ c chili powder
¼ c salt
3T garlic powder
3T cornstarch
3T ground cumin
1T to 3T cayenne pepper (depending on how hot you like it) 

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well.  Store in plastic or glass container with a lid. 

It takes approx. 3T of this mix to equal one packet that you would buy in the store.   

This recipe makes about 2 cups.  I store it in a canning jar in my cupboard.

Janet and Mya went home today, .  But while Janet was here we had some fun shopping.   We went bra shopping and clothes shopping. The best part was no kids!!!  Just us two.  It was so fun and nice. 

We had one lady laughing so hard she had tears running down her face.  It was because Janet was telling her how much we have in common.  We are born 6 weeks apart, Janet is the older one.  Our atm pin numbers are the same( we did not set it up that way). Janet broke her leg 12-27-93, I broke my leg 12-27-07, the same leg, the same way(slipped walking), same surgery , but my leg has more hardware. There are so many other things that are the same too.

So anyway, we are out shopping Janet is looking at some shirts and I said no those look like something grandmas would wear.  Janet says you are a grandma!!!! Thanks Jan, I did not feel like one until she said that!!!!  It was then out shopping we both saw that we are getting older and saw our age.  We are going to be 40 years old this fall.   Where did the time go??  The past 25 years just flew by and we got older.

Then Janet made a few good points. 1. is we survived with out cell phones, the kids just don't believe that.   2. is we lived with out texting!! , if we had it back then we would have to learn how to spell better.  3. is that we lived with out computers to help us with our school work, there was no spell check , there was the "look it up in the dictionary", if we knew how to spell it we would not need to look up.

Blessings Mj

I found some information on fermenting and a few recipes in a book I discovered at the library this weekend- Fresh Food From Small Spaces- The Square Inch Gardener's Guide to Year-Round Growing, Fermenting, and Sprouting by R.J. Ruppenthal.  The directions for making Kimchi say to cover the jar loosely with the lid or a cloth for 2 days, or until you get that "fermenting" smell; then, cap it tightly and put in the refrigerator.  Maybe that is what I've been doing wrong.  I put the lid on at the beginning; perhaps it needs to "breathe" a bit first???  The author recommends Wild Fermentation by Sandor Ellix Katz, which sounds like a very interesting book on the subject.  I plan to look into reading this one, too; and am going to make another attempt at kimchi soon.   Wildfermentation.com was created by the book's author, and if you click on the resources button, you can find his recipe for sourkraut and pickles, plus a troubleshooting area.  Hope this info. helps some of you who are having the same struggles as I am in learning the art of fermenting food!

Blessings,

Catherine

Direct my footsteps according to your word. Psalm 119:133

It has  been just a beautiful day today!  The weather was so nice and everyone appreciates it after the week we have had with the heat!

I had an early morning meeting at church, came home and went back with hubby for the morning service.  A wonderful lady was there today and really brightened the day for us all.  She had a stroke last August and has been in the nursing home since, today was the first day she came to church.  It was such a surprise to see her sitting there when we walked in............she is in a wheel chair and can not really speak, just a few words, but you could tell she was happy to be there and see all of us.  And her husband was just grinning from ear to ear all morning, he was so happy to have her there with him! God has a plan for her, we certainly do not understand it, but he does!!

We ate with Mom at the local cafe, then came home  and relaxed a bit.  I went out and rounded up some chickens to take and get tested this afternoon.  I took 1 rooster, 4 production red pullets and 4 Maran pullets.  They have to have a blood test in order to enter them at the county fair.  We will take them for the grandkids to enter.

One of our county fairs (we have 3 in our county) was last week.  The heat was unbearable those days!! Nick didn't enter his goats at this one, but I went to watch the goat show and it was hot.  I was kind of glad he didn't take his because of it.

I better get off to bed..........this week is going to be quite a crazy busy one!!!  Many extra things going on in our little community  for the 4th of July.  We are getting a float ready for the parade, baking extra for farmers market, have 4 special pie orders, want to make cookies for a contest,  our church is having a supper with fireworks on Friday night (have to make a side dish for that and make sure my work is done here so we can go!)  Sigh............tired already.  Good night

Country Blessings,

Marilyn~at Heritage Hill Homestead

Direct my footsteps according to your word. Psalm 119:133

I have been missing here for way too long.  Three months ago today was my last post, so it is about time I get back.  I have checked in and read some blogs along, but just not taken the time to post.  Several of my homestead friends have inquired about me and I am thankful for your friendship and appreciate your concern!

Things are going well.  Hubby has just passed the 3 month mark following his heart surgery.  He is feeling better than he has for a long time.  We are so thankful for his recovery.  God is Good!!

We are busy with Farmers Market season.  I am doing a lot of baking and the garden is doing fairly well.  Some of it we got in late due to wet weather and hubby's surgery.  We have harvested radishes, onions, beets, peas, some green beans, and 1 tomato!

I have just weaned some of the baby goats, a few needed to wait a few more weeks.  Next year I hope they will be born much closer together.  We lost a doe recently so I now have a bottle baby.

As of this evening.............an incredible heat wave has just broken!  Out just before dark and it was beautiful out!!!  For 7 days it has been nearly unbearable to be outside.  Temps in the mid to upper 90s and up to 100, with heat index around 105-110.  Early mornings chores could be accomplished, but as it usually cools down in the evenings during the summer...........that just didn't happen this time.  The other night I heard the weather man say that at 10 pm the heat index was still at 95!  I have been wondering how folks years ago could sleep with heat like that??  I am very thankful for air conditioning!!!

I need to get to bed, this heat has worn me out, and we have a busy day tomorrow.  I have an early meeting at church tomorrow.

Glad to be back, and I will try to keep up regularly again, I have missed my friends here!

Country Blessings,

Marilyn~at Heritage Hill Homestead

Thank You Jesus For Everything!

Human Bondage

Each and every one of us believes that we are ruled by our bodies and the material world around us and all our suffering is the result of this belief.  If we look at the Old Testament, though, we can read in the story of Israel coming out of Egypt the story of human consciousness growing up out of bondage in the physical, and on into the spiritual.

And Jehovah said (speaking to Moses) I have surely seen the affliction of my people that are in Egypt, and have heard their cries by reason of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows; and I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large land, unto a land flowing with milk and honey (Exod. 3:7,8).

These words express exactly how the Creator feels toward mankind, today.

Today, and everyday, God has been saying to us, His (Her) children:  “I have surely seen the affliction of you who are in Egypt [the darkness of ignorance], and have heard your cry by reason of your taskmasters [sickness, sorrow, and poverty]; and I am [not I will, but I am now] come down to deliver you out of all this suffering, and to bring you up out of that land unto a good land and a large land, unto a land flowing with milk and honey [a life of joy and comfort].”

***************************************************************************

I read this and wanted to share it with you.

We are doing great here in Ky. Garden is coming along. Hubby has not found a full time job as of it, although we are patiently awaiting our prayer to be answered.

God is showing us everyday trusting in Him truly is the way. We have all our needs meet to overflow. God is with us.

Love and prayers answered to all in the Universe, rilda *U*

Bad News:
My fridge never cooled down low enough to put my food back in it after the repairman left yesterday. At 9:30 pm last nite it was still registering 60 degrees in my fridge.  Unbelievable. So another nite of buying ice and filling coolers in my kitchen.
Good News:
The appliance store came and picked up my fridge today. I refrained from kicking it. Just. Thankfully they brought me a loaner fridge until mine is fixed. The loaner fridge is a lot like a loaner car- just enough to get you by until yours is fixed. I am praying it gets fixed quickly we have 35 people coming over here for the 4^th of July . . . . .
It runs which is all that is necessary at this point.
I was able to cram everything into it, which is also good.
Mr. Steady’s brother is coming over tonite to begin the cement work on the foundation on the backside of the house.
It’s about 10 degrees cooler today also.
This all does much for my frame of mind and state of being.
Last night, when the water in the upstairs sink came out as barely a trickle, I just went to bed and cried and cried. I felt completely undone.
I was exhausted physically and mentally.
Mr. Steady held me and reminded me that everything is fixable; that we’ll be okay.
I am taking things one day at a time.
I can’t do any more than that.
This is yet another reminder that I cannot but God can and sometimes it means just sitting back and being still.
God be with me.