Blanching

Today I tried my hand at blanching. We received over a case of cauliflower in our kitchen basket this morning. Amazing! My chickadees love it cooked or raw. Myself, I can't stand the smell of it and if it smells that bad why would one want to eat it? Yuck!

Anyway, the girls really enjoy it. So I pulled out a big pot with strainer. Added a good amount of salt and fresh water. Brought it to a boil and popped in the cauliflower. I let them boil for 3 minutes, then ran them under cold water and popped them into freezer bags. Hopefully it will taste great! (I will not be taste testing)

I had enough to create 8 meals, keep 3 fresh heads in fridge and give 7 away! It just seemed to multiply.

What's your favorite Cauliflower recipe? I need ideas.

Give blanching a try. It super quick and easy!

julie

Update

Life has been a whirl wind. I keep stating that each time I have a chance to break away and blog. I would like to be on here a lot more, but time is precious when you're raising a family of any size. Am I right?

I did want to update on my exercise habits. Since I last posted a lot has happened. First off, the Lord has been so good in graciously giving me the toys I wanted. I got a pair of water gloves for half price at Target and I was so excited. I used them for all my arm work outs for about a month. Then I laid off for a couple of days. Some how on my break I over extended one of my shoulders. I tried swimming through it thinking it would heal. It did not. So about two weeks ago I changed my workout and got rid of all arms. I'm not sure what I looked like coming down the lane, but I can assure you it was silly!

That leads me to the next gift. This time another swimmer. She wanted me to have her old fins because she bought new ones. What a blessing. She's such a great lady and keeps me striving toward each new goal.

So it was great timing. I had the fins, so I didn't totally look like I was drowning without my arms.

Here's my workout using arms(w/o gloves) as of this week:

• 300 back/free
• 200 legs
• 300 dolphin on back/just arms
• 200 legs
• 300 back/free
• 200 legs
• 300 dolphin on back (a killer)/ just arms
• 200 legs
• 50 to 100 jumps for bone growth

All in all 2000 a day. A little over a mile. I've cut my time down to 45 minutes (on a good day). I have not lost anymore weight. Truth be told I haven't been trying real hard. Haven't gained and I have increased muscle in legs. I was able to go up and down our full flight of stairs about 5 times today (in a row) with to much huffing. So I guess my stamina has increased!

Another goal that I met was Swimming the Trail in our county. It is 47 miles long and the pool in town will keep official records for you of your mileage. So I did it a couple of weeks back ( not all in one day) and they gave me a T-shirt saying I had swam the trail. Superman keeps telling people that I'm training to swim the English Channel!

I also have logged in and kept track with Presidential Fitness. I've made it past the Bronze Medal at this point, but I've lossed interest in it.

So what's next. Really back to watching what is fueling my body and cutting back a bit on the exercise. I was so exhausted swimming an hour, 5 days a week that I would come home and sit. There were days I could barely move and I just can't do that. I felt it was my whole life.I was also always so hungry and felt a bit out of control.

On a happier note, I am addicted to swimming. I have to do it at least 3 times a week and really no more than 4. I would like to slowly add on another 200 to 500 by next summer. We shall see!

I do know that I have to be very balanced in my life. My motto is "balance in every area except for Christ". The only place where I want to be head over heals!

julie

Art

Today the chickadees and I were given the privilege of meeting P. Buckley Moss. What a beautiful woman. She was so gracious to open her home and gallery to our co-op group this morning. The girls and I felt as if we had spent some precious time with our own Bocia. She had so many fascinating stories to share and her artwork is beautiful.

You'll see no pictures here today. I felt it just wasn't right to be snapping away in this lovely women's home. If your interested in taking a peek at her work go here.

She really gave encouragement to my eldest daughters. She, like them has dealt with learning disabilities but hasn't let that stop her. Finding what she loved to do at an early age and doing it. In no way expecting or even wanting to become famous, she has become world renown. A gracious, keep you own your toes kind of lady. She has so much to share with her family and the world.

Thank you Ms. Buckley.

julie

Pumpkin Bread Season

Ahhhhhhhh can you smell it? I can taste it and it is delicious. Ahhhhhhhhh. Fall has started off with a bang here a 4 Sweet Sisters. School Girl has be in charge of advertising the chickadees business. She's gotten orders for 250 loaves of our mouthwatering pumpkin bread. Amazing! This is the biggest year we have had so far.

Besides baking we have been apart of an enormous garage sale at our friend's farm (yes we have more than beaches and Mickey here). A tremendous amount of business went on and we now have the funds to purchase a new stand up freezer. I am so excited! I'm deal hunting at this very moment :) We also sold another 24 loaves of our tasty bread there and lots of chocolate chip cookies. It was a great weekend, we bartered, dickered, swapped recipes and chatted about life.

So much more is happening. I hope to post later about our fall gardens and test garden, Superman's new business and much, much more!

julie

Have you laid one like this?

Or should I say has one of your chickens ever laid one like this? I keeping thinking "Vermont Volleyball" ( Bing Crosby, White Christmas) but that really has nothing to do with this or does it (poor Danny Kaye). We seem to have girl that lays like this occasionally. No extra squawking, but it sure looks like it's got to be painful! You can't tell from the picture but this egg is larger than a Extra Large Fancy eggs from the grocery. It's just like any other egg once you crack it open, but it does look unappetizing.

Have you ever "laid a egg"? I'm sure we all have. In fact there are days where it's just best if I keep my mouth shut! Today could be one of those days. Lots of extra squawking and pain for everyone in ear shot. I'm relying on my Father to get me through and keep my beak shut!

Have a great day!

julie

I gave into temptation....

It's Monday... One of those kind of days where...need I say more? It's not super bad (because I gave my day over to the Lord), but it does have it's twists and turns. (Here comes my excuse, get ready, wait for it, wait for it.) I have been craving meat and chocolate all weekend. I could eat roast beef and/or chicken for every meal with a piece of some kind of chocolate to clear the palate. Ahh... I said it. I need meat and chocolate! I see it everywhere I go. I have recipes swirling through my brain. I cracked. Here's what I did:

2 1/2 cup of 60% cocoa chocolate chips

2 HUGE glugs of vanilla to wash it down (just kidding)

1 can of sweeten condensed milk (John Wayne saved the life of a new born baby with this stuff over the weekend in the 3 Godfathers.)

Melt on medium heat. pour into parchment lined dish, get every bit out of the hot pot (don't burn your tongue), let fudge cool in fridge.

Eat a piece every 15 minutes, I mean test for coolness every 15 minutes or so.

Cut 10 small pieces so everyone can have a taste. Leave some for desert. Pop the rest into freezer in case a repeat is needed in a day or two. Yum!

julie

Give your cares to Lord, sometimes you may get chocolate!

The girls

I thought you might like to see some pretty shots of two of the chickadees. My girlfriend is a wonderful woman of God, wife, mom and photographer. Angela you're awesome. Loving Legacy Photgraphy So take a peek!