Reclaiming The Home

Homemade Jerky

I have started a Little House on the Prairie Club on Ravelry (please check it out if you get a chance!).  We are doing weekly read-a-longs and craft-a-longs to get a taste of what life was like back then.

One of the crafts this week was homemade Jerky.  I used a 3/4 lb piece of Top Round and sliced it in 1/4" thin slices.  Then I marinated them in Teriyaki sauce for 24 hours and squeezed them dry in a paper towel.  Then I layed them out on baking racks before putting them in the oven at 170* for 4 hours.

Here is our tasty result!

I think maybe one of the hardest things as a homesteader/pioneer would be to NOT eat all the goodies when you make them to store away for the coming seasons!! Can you imagine being Laura and Mary playing in that attic filled to the brim with tasty treats? Can you imagine what that smelled like, and then having to be so good about not eating things since that would be all the food you would have for the winter? What self-control those kids had!

Anna seemed to really like it!  The Jerky got a two-thumbs up from Kevin as well, and I have been snacking on it off and on.  We really enjoyed this activity. :)

A few of my favorite things

My mornings are pretty simple.  I sit down with a bowl of cereal, my journal, and a cup of coffee (normally not Starbucks, but I have an amazingly sweet hubby who decided that I should have a non-fat, sugar-free double vanilla extra foam kinda morning - he also got me the GORGEOUS wooden journal in the photo there).

(I'm so lucky!)

What Kev knows about me (and puts up with, bless-his-heart), is that I have a HUGE journal addiction.  We'll call it a collection, but truly... its an addiction.  I am rather picky about my journal collecting, and am on a constant search for the perfect journal.  These each have their very own amazing qualities that I love.  One thing you can always count on is that I will love any journal that Moleskine produces.  I've even converted hubby on that fact.  Here are just a few of the journals I have within reach this morning (3 of which, are Moleskine)...

Do you have any collections or little obsessions?

Reclaiming My Health.

Those of you who started out the year with weight loss goals, I hear you.  Hang in there.  You are not alone. 

For the past 10 years I have set weight loss and health goals at the beginning of the year and every year I end it weighing more than the last.   I am determined this year will be different, and I realized that in order to get a different result, I would need a different tactic.

About this time every year... just a week or two in, I would start to feel it.  You know what I'm talking about - that pull to give in JUST a little because you've been working so hard.  That frustration you feel that this is a LOT of work and you know its going to take a LOT of time.  Its disheartening.

I have decided that for me, the best way to find success with my health is to do things ONE step at a time.  It sounds time consuming, but it can't be any worse than spending 10 years wishing I were thinner. 

I also have a theory that by constantly making healthier choices one at a time, you keep your body on its toes, and as a result it should ideally not stall out or stagnate with weight loss like it does if you're on a consistent diet and exercise plan for a long period of time.

My theory is this... its too much change on the body to shock it into losing weight by changing EVERYTHING at once - diet, exercise, etc. Your body can't take it and you literally feel MISERABLE.  Fat, calories, sugar, and caffeine are all components that your body has learned to burn at the rate it is used to burning it at.  Changing any that up is bound to be uncomfortable, because the body resists change like that, but changing it all at once can put your body into a severe phase of withdrawl.

That is when the temptation gets worse, your motivation wanes, and you physically feel like poo.  In short, its awful.  Because of this awful-ness, its often hard to stay excited about your progress, and you feel the temptation to "cheat" just a little, because you've earned it by sacrificing so much.

I'm not a doctor, mind you... these are just the ramblings of an experienced dieter, and someone who wants a change.  One that will last and not make me miserable in the process.

Because of my theories on all of this, I have been doing things a step at a time. My first week of the year I cut out sugary sodas. The rest of my eating was normal. just no soda. My options were other non-sugary drinks, but caffeine is okay (taking out sugar & caffeine at the same time is too much at once in my opinion, and frankly, I want to keep the caffeine).  I also made a rule that I had to drink my water before I could have any other type of drink. 

It really hasn't been as hard of a change as I expected it would be!  I used to drink about 5 glasses of Coke a day, and when I say glasses, I mean the really tall ones.  As a result of just this small change, I know I have cut out nearly 1000 calories each day that I would normally take in, just drinking soda.  That is a huge change and one that will seriously trigger health improvement in my body. 

I am starting to exercise a little as well. I have been alternating doing Pilates for as long as I can do it, and then walking with a friend. I am setting a goal of 3 times exercising at least 20 minutes this week. This change isn't incredibly dramatic in that I am not physically really sore or exhausted.  I'm doing things I enjoy and in small increments.  The change isn't painful and it is something that will ultimately improve my health.

Next week, I want to try for 5 days of exercise (3 of those being walking), and taking new vitamins & a fish oil supplement for heart health.  I will continue with my drink changes, and will institute a rule of no eating after 9pm (I usually stay up past midnight so this is a goal of eating no more than 3-4 hours before bed).  I will gradually move the time to eat at night up each week until I am only eating dinner, and no snacks before bed.  Its something I want to ease into.  Still, that change will make a difference in the end!

I'm working up to my goals, really giving myself the entirety of 2009 to reach them, and not working so hard that I am miserable in the process.  I want this to be a transition for my life to change.  I would love a quick fix, just like any one of us, but in my experience, they are often so hard to accomplish that for me, it has been near to impossible to do.  This tactic, however, seems like something I can do without feeling neglected, miserable, or too tempted.

I am trying to face my demons, and to look at these challenges as small changes.  I'm not looking at where I want to be in a year.  I'm looking at what I can do this week to be healthier.  The year will continue and my health and weight will change either for the better or for the worse whether I dwell on it or not.  I'm focusing on my goals in small steps and reaching successes along the way that allow me to ease into a life of healthier choices without feeling bad.

I'm not telling myself that this whole year has to be diet and exercise and sacrifice.... I'm telling myself that by the end of the year I want to be happy with the changes I have made for my health, my body, my appearance, and my self esteem.

I do have goals that I would like to reach, which help me pick what changes to make.  By the end of 2009 I would like to be eating healthy foods that nourish my body in proportions that provide the nutrition and satisfaction I need to live a healthy life.  I still want to enjoy food, but I don't want to be a slave to it anymore.  I would also like to be running regularly by the end of the year. 

I did not make specific weightloss goals because the only thing I can control is what I put into my body and how much energy I put out of my body through exercise.  My body will respond with the appropriate healthy response for weight loss as I continue to make healthier choices.  I dont' want to put a number to it, because if it is going in a positive direction, that is all that matters.  This is a life change and I *will* eventually get there.

Any change forward is a positive one.

Coffee House Treats

A few weeks ago I shared this delicious dish with my mother on a late night trip to the hotel cafe (which served Starbucks) when we were in Houston for the educational convention.  Isn't that tart just incredibly beautiful?  Paired with a double vanilla latte, I'm not sure there is anything tastier in this world.

I've been wanting to make them ever since.  I stocked up on Yogurt to take care of the filling, but have been trying to figure out how they did the tart part for a while.  You see, its not just a crisp tart shell.  On the inside of the tart there is a short layer of what appeared to be cake!  It really added to the texture of the whole thing, though it really surprised me at the time.

For the purpose of eating healthier, I may forego the cake layer, though I still find myself incredibly curious about how that was done.  if you have any ideas, I'd love to hear them!

What is your favorite coffeehouse treat?

Mini-Burgers To Go!

One of my favorite things to cook for my hubby is a giant batch of mini hamburgers.  I usually use rolls from the day-old bread rack at the grocery store.  These I got in 2 packages of 15 for $1.50 (so 10-cents a roll).  Then I get lean hamburger in a 3lb package (about $5), and make about 30 mini burgers (total cost = 27-cents per burger!!)

To make them, you start with 1 lb of hamburger meat and you squish it into a baking pan.  The best way to do this is to use a small, flat-sided glass (or mini rolling pin) and roll it out in the pan so that its flat, and solidly one piece.  You don't want it more than 1/2" thick.  Thinner is okay as it will shrink and get thicker.  Sprinkle with onion powder and a little bit of pepper (this is a VERY important step!)

Bake them in a preheated 350* oven for about 15-minutes or until the meat is cooked through.  When you take it out, it may have separated some, but that's okay - you can work around it. 

Chop the burger into squares that will fit on your rolls (should get about 10).  Cut your rolls in half and place burger on roll.  Stick in a baggie (or wrap in foil) and freeze individually.

Repeat this process 3x and you have a hamburger for every day of the month.  Perfect, cheap, lunch.

For sack lunches, snag one and you have a DELICIOUS main course that will thaw and be ready for microwaving/eating by lunch time!  (Hubby just sticks his in the dash to cook in the sun, but I do not know the food safety of this, so I would recommend reheating a more traditional way, lol.  Also be sure to pack with an ice pack.)  You can of course add toppings like you would on any hamburger.  My favorite is lettuce, a bit of onion, a slice of fresh tomato, some mozarella (melted on the hot patty), and crisp pickles.  YUM! 

My kids love them too!

Comforting Chicken Soup

Its cold season and that means its also chicken soup season!  For many of us with the current state of the economy it also means its time to budget and pinch our pennies.  This recipe will show you how to make a mouth-watering bowl of chicken noodle soup that will give you at least 10 servings for about $3.50 (that's about 35-cents a serving!).

The first thing I'm going to talk about however, is saving your vegetable scraps!  This is so important.  Anytime you make a salad, or use fresh veggies for ANY recipe, save the bits and pieces you would normally throw away - like celery root, carrot tops, tomato tops (the part that attaches to the vine), peelings, etc.  Save them in a baggie in the freezer, and then you have a perfect base for your soups!!

Comforting Chicken Soup

Ingredients:

~Vegetable scraps (about 2-3 cups) (free from the freezer)
~2 chicken thighs (about $1)
~1 can carrots (50-cents for store brand)
~1 can green beans (50-cents for store brand)
~1 pkg rotini noodles (about $1)
~2-3 potatoes, washed and cubed with peels on (about 50-cents)
~Water
~Spices (oregano, thyme, parsley, garlic or onion powder, salt, pepper to taste)

Directions:

~Fill a pot with vegetable scraps and water.  Boil about 15-20 minutes or until you have a nice broth. Gently scoop out vegetable pieces and toss, reserving broth in the pot.
~In broth, add spices to taste.
~Put chicken thighs in the water and boil about 15-20 minutes or until cooked through. Remove chicken to a cutting board, reserving broth in pot.
~Put potato cubes in the broth, and boil until soft - about 15 min.
~While potatoes are boiling, debone and shred chicken
~After potatoes have been cooked, add in noodles, carrots and green beans.  Cook an additional 10 minutes or so, until noodles are done.
~Add in chicken. 
~taste and reseason if needed.

*NOTE: You may need to add water throughout the cooking process.  This will not overly-dilute the taste, but will add volume to your soup, so don't be afraid to add more water!

This can be served up with some delicious garlic bread or a side salad as well!  My grandmother loves to eat this with cheese toast. Yum!

Vitametavega-Gummies

We have been incredibly busy around the Rose Household, painting, ripping up carpet, installing new flooring, hanging curtains, and replacing towel racks.  The list seems to never get shorter, however, and so we carry on.  As a result, I have been lax in posting, and I hate that about the busy times, but it makes the days I find a moment to write all that much sweeter, especially when it includes such tasty goodness as this!

I made fruit juice gummies today!  I tried this recipe, found over at epicurious.  I didn't have the cute little molds, but I went ahead and made them anyway, pouring them into an 8x8 pan sprayed with cooking spray just before pouring, and then cutting them into small cubes after 2 hours of setting time.

The texture is a bit different from your traditional gummy but it is still very tasty, and a WONDERFUL way to get fruits into your little ones in place of artificially flavored, dyed, and sugar-packed gummies you'll find at the store. 

There are only two ingredients in these gummies: juice and gelatin.  To get the most punch per gummy in vitamins I chose to use V-8 V-Fusion juice.  There are vegetables in these gummies, and even better, my children will eat them!

The general review by children is that Abbi thinks they are the best thing since pickles (which, if you know Abbi, you can certainly understand what a big deal this is.  We go through a gallon of pickles every 2 weeks).  Anna seems to think they are just okay.  Probably a little splenda or added sugar would go a long way in making these more appealing to kids who have tried and/or are used to the flavor in the sugar packed gummies available at the supermarket.

One thing I would like to experiment with, is using fruit juice concentrate in place of "regular" juice.  I think that would give the expected flavor punch that storebought gummies have, but without compromising fruit as the main ingredient (aside from gelatin).  As it is, the flavor is there, but subtle.  Concentrate would also add to the sweet factor without having to add in extra sugars.  If you give this a try, let me know what you think.

Since we are doing so much packing and preparing, we have been sure to include the fridge and pantry in this effort as well.  As a result we are creating some unique concoctions, trying to find ways to use up what we have on hand before the move.

The above photo is of an experiment we did tonight altering this recipe to make something we hoped would be similar but wound up as a dense, ooey gooey loaf of deliciousness instead. 

Darn. ;)

Essentially we cut out adding sugar and fresh fruit to the batter, and instead supplimented 1 1/2 cups of homemade blackberry freezer jam.  Its not what we expected, but the best things rarely are. 

It isn't something delicate or pretty to serve to company, but if you are up for a night snuggled with the family on the back porch, watching the fireflies dance around your children as dusk settles.... well, there isn't much that can top this, I think.

Sharing

I'm sorry it has been a few days since my last post.  I have been having some intense morning sickness, and haven't been able to be on the computer much.  Thankfully the beloved nurse at my doctor office agreed to call in some anti-nausea medication to help, and we will be picking it up tomorrow, post haste. 

In the mean time I will share some of the lovely meals I've made when I have been able to stomach the smell of cooking, but that I sadly haven't been able to take part in eating the past few days...

First on the menu are Barbecue Wings complete with corn & green beans.  It was incredibly simple to make.  I simply basted the wings (frozen) with BBQ sauce and baked them for an hour at 350*.  Warmed up the veggies, added a little salt and pepper and presto!  A meal that the family loved. :)

The next night I thought I would try something a little more tummy-friendly.  I made a Caesar Pasta Salad with fresh tomatoes, steamed broccoli, one chicken breast cut into bite sized chunks (for the entire salad) and Caesar dressing.  It smelled wonderful and hubby gave it two thumbs up.  Anna loved it as well!

Finally, I made the beloved and esteemed Apple Dumplings that the Pioneer Woman gave a recipe for a couple of weeks ago.   Everyone loved these and I had to make a second batch to send with hubby tomorrow to a work lunch event.  The only thing that we changed in the recipe was to use Squirt instead of Mountain Dew (to cut out all traces of caffeine).  Based on everyone who tried them, we have a total of 12/12 thumbs up!

Now... the things I've actually been able to eat?  Hmm... ice-cold Spaghettios and corn dogs.  So healthy I know, but apparently it is all that the baby wants. LOL.  I am hoping this will change soon.

What are your tricks for an upset tummy?  Any favorite "sick tummy" recipes to share? 

Big News!

Here at Reclaiming the Home big things have been going on behind the scenes.  The needles have been knitting, the sewing machine has been sewing, and bits of craftiness are showing up everywhere around the house, here and there.  Because of my cold, the only cooking that has gone on was done by the infamous Mr. Rose with some buffalo cheese dip that he was quite proud of.  I'll have to ask him for the recipe so that I can share it soon!

The big news though, comes in the form of the new public Reclaiming The Home forum! 

My goal for the forum is to be a community of people who care about their homes and the gentle home arts.  There will be tutorials, resources, and information that will help us all to learn to be better Reclaimers, while providing incentive and motivational games in a fun atmosphere where we share our love of the home with one another. 

It is a place of friendship that welcomes people from all walks of life, where we all get to be ourselves, get to know one other better, support each other, and share our joys as well as our sorrows.  You don't have to be a mother, a wife, or stay at home to enjoy homemaking.

I know you will find real community here, grow friendships, build each other up, learn new things, and just enjoy hanging out at the forum.

If you have a moment, stop on by and take a look. There is so much to be found there and so much more to come, including a big surprise event for all of the forum members that will begin within the week! 

This idea has been in the works for some time, and I am so pleased to say, has finally come to fruition.  So many people were involved in its creation.  A big thank you to Caitlin, Pam, Diane, Audrey, Rachel, Robyn, Danna, and SO many more lovely women who helped to make this part of my dream a reality!

Fresh Air and Green Things

It has been unusually warm here, getting up over 90*F yesterday, and that has left us all wanting to get out and enjoy some of the fresh air before it becomes so hot that our only outside experiences are running from the house to the car in search of air conditioning.   In Oklahoma spring usually lasts about a week before the blistering heat comes in and takes over.  We have been enjoying the pretty weather while it lasts by spending a good portion of our days playing outside in the yard.  The little ones are especially enjoying Spring's brief interlude into our lives, asking for "ou-siiigh?" every chance they get and being reciprocated with a resounding "sure! lets go play!" at nearly every opportunity.

Being outside so much this week has made me want to start the seedlings for the garden.  I'm a little later this year than I usually am, but I'm not too worried.  Autumn lasts just about as long as spring and usually doesn't show up until the end of November, so we probably have a little more time for harvesting at the end of the season than most areas do. 

I'm thinking of starting a paper gardening & sketch journal for this year.  I have some ideas in the works for how I'd want it to look, since I am going to be making it.  I always wonder if others do things like that, or if its one of those "Kristin's dreaming again" things.  Anyone else journal their gardening experiences?