Team Bettendorf in Missouri

Our diet.

My plan is to have this blog be specifically about homesteading and diet.  I am FINALLY getting to post here. YEAH!! We are still working on financing for the Dora house.  We should hear something this week.  In the meantime I'll share some recent meals from our home.

I made the pickeld garlic from page 96 of Nourishing Traditions.  Please do not ask me to post the recipe. I won't.  I think it would be better for you to purchase the book.  It is worth every penny and more.  Here is the garlic after being cooked 30 minutes at 300 degrees.  Any longer than that and they turn to mush.  I've found that about 10 bulbs will fill a quart jar.

Here they are done!!  I am giving these as Christmas gifts this year. :)

One of the things you need to make fermented veggies is whey.  Here is how I make whey.  I used old kefir that sat too long and we were not going to drink.  I strained out the grains and poured the mixture into a piece of fabric that is sitting in a strainer on top of a big bowl.

Here is the whey.  It is yellowish/green.

The curd that is left in the fabric is cream cheese.  You probably all knew that already. :)  I'm excited  to buy a Dexter cow in MO for milk. Then we can make all kinds of cheeses!

And here is the bowl.  It takes several hours.

The other night we had our take on "Tava" which is a Turkish meal.  A traditional tava is cooked in individual deep dish plates.  It includes a tomato-y sauce, white rice and chopped up chicken.

Here is ours:

First I sauteed some onion in olive oil.  I added tomatoes and happened to find one lonely green bell pepper in the fridge.  If I had found any other green veggies I would have used them as well.  I diced the bell pepper and added them.  Add salt.  Add sumac spice.  It can be found at most indian and arabic grocery stores.  I simmered the tomatoes until they were saucey.  I took about 4 cups out and blended it in the blender.  Blending is optional. :)  I burnt myself!

While I was making the tomatoes I pan fried the chicken and cooked the rice in a rice cooker.  The rice is called Country Mix or some sort and we buy it at Sprout's.  Here it is at the table.

At my house we don't force anyone to eat something they don't like.  So some kids wanted just meat.  Some kids wanted rice and tomatoes.  But most of them ate it just like this:

Rice, chicken, tomoatoes and cheese on top!!  Joshua and Josiah say YUM-O!!!

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{ 09:39, Saturday, December 16, 2006 } { Posted by kimmie }

you go pickle that garlic!!!!!!!!! LOL

have a great weekend!

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{ 06:28, Sunday, December 17, 2006 } { Posted by homesteadinthemaking }

I have just found your site and I went over to your homeschool blog and read some of you entries. I am so inspired by your story. I would love to know more about your adoption story.
Blessings,
Trixi