Limes - This is something I'd like to try

Sunday Sharing

Home Apothecary

 

The Home Apothecary - what is it??

For years mothers, grandmothers, and aunts had home apothecaries.  They were the ones that grew the herbs and prepared them for the time of need.  

Growing and using herbs is a back-to-basics pursuit that can keep money in your pocket.  Do I believe in Doctors, YES!!  Of Course!!!  But if I can do something at home to help my body heal so I don't need to go in all the better.

Aloe vera - some people call it the burn plant. - the clear mucilaginous gel from the center of the leaf has anti-inflammatory and healing properties.

Arnica - This has long been used for sprains and bruises.  After surgery my DH had serious bruising.  The Nurse Practitioner recommended Arnica.  Our pharmacist looked it up for me and there are studies proving the positive results.  So, I ordered some and was amazed at the quick recovery from the bruising.

Calendula - anti-inflammatory properties and aids in the healing of wounds, cuts and burns.

Chamomile - has a mild sedative effect on the nervous system.

Comfrey - Traditionally, comfrey has been used as a topical application for bruises, fractures and wounds. 

Echinacea, Elder, Eucalyptus, Ginger, Lavendar, Lemon Balm, Meadowsweet, Mint, Rose Hip, Yarrow, and the list goes on and on.  You get the idea.  There are many herbs out there that can be beneficial.  

Having an herb book can be very helpful.  It's important to use them as recommended.  You could also make yourself ill if not following the directions.

Personally, I make a chamomile tincture, calendula oil, dry rose hips for tea if we are warding off sniffles, dry oregano for tea as it has anti-virial properties and helps with a sore throat. I make elderberry syrup for congestion relief.  Dried white yarrow can be made into a tea to help reduce a fever.  Some of these items I grow, some I order online but, I do have a small 'Home Apothecary'.  

I of course do still buy over-the-counter medicine too.  But if I can grow something at home that is helpful to my family, I like to do that as well. 

I have and use, The Complete Illustrated Book of Herbs, by Reader's Digest.  My DH has many wildflower books which give uses for many of the flowers that grow in the wild.

Just an fyi: Many medicines we use today are derivatives of herbal treatments.

During WW2 the German occupation of Europe interfered with drug shipments, therefore there was a critical shortage of medicines in British homes.  The Ministry of Health established and published guides for herb collection, how to dry, and bundle, to be sent in for production of medicine.

~a little bird

It was a cold and snowy night...

 Night has fallen, and it's cold outside.  The lights flicker and then go out.  

Well certainly they will be back on quickly. But what if, what if they didn't come back on in an hour, two hours, four hours, 24 hours, or even a few days.  Then what.

Thankfully this is not a normal happening.  But upon an occasion it can happen.  The above photo shows what normally causes power outages in each area.  We live in Region 9 and it says equipment problems but there have been times that storms have knocked the power out. 

It's good to have a plan, just in case, the power did go out for a period of time. How would you stay warm if it's winter?  Not everyone can have a wood stove where they live, but you could have a small tent and put that up in your living room and sleep in there.  The smaller area stays warmer with just body heat.

This doesn't have to be an expensive tent just one you can snuggle into and be warmer.

Don't have a tent.  A Blanket Fort will do much the same thing.

The goal is to have a smaller area to heat with your body temperature.  So, bring the kids in and all snuggle up together.  A flashlight or some battery-operated mini lights grab the kindle and have a movie night all cozy.

Open flame or candles are NOT safe for tents or blanket forts.

Now you have slept the night cozy and warm all bundled up in your tent/fort.  It's breakfast and the power is still out...  Yikes you're hungry, the kids are hungry, what are you going to make for breakfast?

If you have a camp stove you can take it outside and cook some hot cereal, heat some water for cocoa, perk some coffee. 

The Butane Stoves can be used indoors - follow all the manufactures directions.

Now that you've had your morning coffee, the kids are fed and happy.  (There isn't school because the power is out there too.)  Make sure you and the kids dress in layers. Even hats inside if your house is cold.  That will help everyone stay warmer.

My dad always said, "If your feet are cold put a hat on. You can lose up to 50% of your body heat through your head."  He was a smart man!

What will the kiddos do all day?  It's time to pull out the board games, favorite books, or if it isn't too cold outside, they could go out and play. 

Lunch is coming. Use the camp or butane stove to heat some canned soup, pull some crackers out of the pantry and open a can of fruit and again bellies are full and warm.  When its cold having warm meals help warm from the inside.  

Hopefully by now the power is back on, the furnace is blowing warm air throughout the whole house and the kids are watching their favorite program. 

But what if... It's always good to have a plan.  What can you make that's easy for dinner? Something that doesn't require a lot of work and dishes but is pleasing to everyone. 

One pot meals are nice. 

The Sweet Little Bird: Super Simple Pasta Dinner

This is one of our favorites. Other ideas are Macaroni and Cheese (just do it in the pot and skip the baking), canned chili, canned stew, the Progresso soups are nice because they are so thick and filling.  I know there are many of these type recipes. Just keep it simple.  

Some people have a well and if their power goes out so does their water.  It's good to have some water stored if that is the case where you live.  

The point is having a plan.  Play the "What If" game.  

What if the power goes out for a day or two?  

What if the water doesn't work for a day or two?  

What if we are snowed in and can't get to the grocery store for a day or two?

What if one of us gets the sniffles and can't go out for a day or two? 

Do I have fuel for the camp stove? Do I have a case of water in the garage? Do I have a few days of groceries in the pantry? Do I have some cold medicine in the cabinet? Etc..

The what if game isn't meant to scare anyone but to just prepare, just in case.  HERE is information from ready.gov regarding what to do in a power outage.

~ a little bird

Food Storage Menus

My dear friend, Arlene, requested some recipes for inspiration.  I don't know if these are inspirational or not, but they are easy and can be made with pantry items.

Scratch Chicken Marengo (from my sweet Aunt Es) 

1 chicken cut-up

1 stick butter,

2 onions cut up, sauté onions until translucent

add mushrooms and stir

sprinkle 1/2 cup flour and stir together

add 2 cups water or chicken stock and cook to thicken

add 1-2 tsp. garlic powder

2 bay leaves

salt and pepper

Bake 1 1/2 hours at 325 degrees

Serve over rice

another way

Chicken Marengo 

1 chicken cut-up (or favorite pieces)

1 can tomato soup

1 can golden mushroom soup

1 onion, rough chopped

2 bay leaves

1-2 tsp. garlic powder

sliced mushrooms (optional)

Place chicken in bottom of casserole

mix soups and all other ingredients, pour over chicken

Bake 1 1/2 hours at 325 degrees

Serve over rice.

Tomato Basil Pasta (Martha Stewart)

12 ounces pasta

1 can diced tomatoes with liquid (15 ounces)

1 onion sliced

garlic

2 teaspoons dried oregano leaves

1 teaspoon dried basil 

4 1/2 cups vegetable broth

2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Parmesan cheese for garnish

Place all items in the pot. 

Cover pot and bring to a boil. Reduce to a low simmer and keep covered and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring every few minutes.  

Season to taste with salt and pepper, garnish wit parmesan cheese and enjoy.

Lentils and Rice

3 Tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, chopped

1Tablespoon curry powder

1/4 teaspoon red pepper

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried basil

1/4 teaspoon turmeric

2 Tablespoons garlic

3 1/2 cups water

1 cup lentils, rinsed

1 cup rice

Heat oil in pan and sauté onion, add spices and cook for a few minutes (smells wonderful)

Add water and the cleaned rinsed lentils. Cover and cook 15 minutes; add rice, stir well turn burner to low and allow to simmer covered for 20 minutes. Turn the burner off and let it sit for a few minutes.

I love curry so this smells wonderful. This is a good basic recipe. You can change the spices to fit your personal tastes. I also think adding raisins, and almonds would enhance this curry dish even more. Serve with a big salad and you have a healthy, filling people pleasing supper.

Hopefully these are some inspiration for some pantry meals.  I will try and add a few recipes from time to time.

~ a little bird

Tea Mix and Reusable Teabags

 

We grow mint, chamomile, lemon balm, dry orange rind and add lemon grass to make an herbal tea mix.  This is something we can enjoy in the evening after dinner without worrying about any affects from caffeine. 

This year I also made some reusable tea bags.  After making your tea simply dump the used tea leaves in the trash or compost and rinse the tea bag out and hang to dry for the next time.  I do have tea balls and tea screens and use those as well, but these are perfect for one cup at a time, and they don't leak leaves into my tea.

I made and gifted some tea bags as well as a tea sampler for Christmas gifts.

They were well received.

Below is a video that gives the easy directions in case you too want to make some reusable tea bags.

Preserving in the Deep Winter

 

What does a 'Preserver' do in the deep winter?  

If you have been to the grocery store lately you too have noticed the price increases on many items.

I was at my local store last week picking up a few things and looked at hamburger - oh dear - It was pretty pricy to say the least.  The price of a sirloin tip roast was 50 cents cheaper per pound than the highest fat ratio hamburger.  I went for the roast.  

Have you ever canned meat?  It makes a wonderful product!  HERE are the directions on home canning meat. Now granted I can't make a hamburger patty out of this, but I can use this beautiful product for soups, stews, casseroles, tacos, enchiladas, BBQ beef sandwiches, anywhere I would use ground beef (other than a patty) I can use this canned beef.  It is so nice to have this for a very quick meal.  

Another thing I like to preserve in the deep winter are beans (directions HERE page 4-5and 4-6).  I do beans in quart jars so I can add them to chili or taco soup.

Both meat and beans are low acid and require pressure canning.  The directions explain the process to follow.

Canned Beef

I use the raw pack method - it is so EASY!!!  Yes, I realize the jars don't look as beautiful as home canned peaches or pears but if you could see through the metal cans at the grocery store of canned beef this is what you'd see. 😊

~ a little bird

Food Preservation

 "Alexandra often said that if her mother were cast upon a desert island, she would thank God for her deliverance, make a garden, and find something to preserve. Preserving was almost a mania with Mrs. Bergson. Stout as she was, she roamed the scrubby banks of Norway Creek looking for fox grapes and goose plums, like a wild creature in search of prey. She made a yellow jam of the insipid ground cherries that grew on the prairie, flavoring it with lemon peel; and she made a sticky dark conserve of garden tomatoes... When there was nothing to preserve, she began to pickle."  ~ Willa Cather, O'Pioneers

Are you a 'preserver'?  My husband and I laugh about the fact that I am.  When we go to the mountains throughout the summer and fall, I'm always on the lookout for things to put by for the winter.

 

We look for currents, rose hips, saskatoons, choke cherries, elderberries, herbs, etc.  Then we bring them home to preserve for later in the year when they are no longer available fresh.  

Well now is that time.  We are in deep winter here in the northwest.  The snow and ice cover the mountains as well as our little garden plot. So now is the time to enjoy the fruits of our labor.  So now while the world where we live is covered by a blanket of white, we are pulling canned goods out of the pantry for the dinner table.

I am a preserver and I enjoy the ongoing tradition that was handed down from my great-grandmothers, grandmothers, and my mom.

Great home canning instructions HERE USDB Complete Guide to Home Canning

Christmas

I haven't sat down to do a post in ages!!  I guess we are just busy with the everyday things.  Enjoying the Grands, doing a little traveling, enjoying the day to day tasks of living...

Our current focus is Christmas.  Most of the gifts are wrapped and under the tree.  We have gone to usable or consumable items.  Everyone has enough 'stuff' to dust.  So the presents are wearable, eatable, or tools. Toys also fall under tools for the littles - toys are their tools for learning, growing and fun.  The baking and making has started.  Today's making was Fantasy Fudge.

Fantasy Fudge
3/4 cup butter
2/3 cup evaporated milk
3 cups sugar
bring to a full boil and boil for 5 minutes - stirring

Turn off the heat and add:
12 oz of chocolate chips
7 oz marshmallow cream
1 cup walnuts coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (you can use imitation - the price of real vanilla is off the charts!!)

Stir this all together and pour into a 9x13" pan. I like to do a parchment sling so it lifts out easily for cutting and packaging.

Hope you are having a beautiful season and enjoying some Christmas at your house as well.
alittlebird

Oatmeal Cookies

This morning I made some steel cut oats for our breakfast and doubled the batch.  Yummy breakfast and I had enough leftover to make some oatmeal cookies. (big smile here)

Oatmeal Cookies with leftover oatmeal
1 cup butter, cream with
1 cup brown sugar, and
1/2 cup white sugar
when well creamed add
4 eggs, one at a time mix well until light and fluffy
Now add:
2 teaspoons of baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
2 cups leftover oatmeal or steel cut oats from breakfast
4 cups flour (2 3/4 cup wheat berries grinds to just the right amount of flour)

I use a cookie scoop or you can use a tablespoon to drop onto a parchment lined cookie sheet.

add ins of your choice - I added raisins and pecans
Bake at 350 for 15 minutes

These are a soft cookie, very tasty and really with the whole grain oats and if you grind your own whole wheat flour a good source of fiber.  Makes 6 dozen

If you only have one cup of leftover oatmeal cut the recipe in half.