growing

At This Moment

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At this moment I am…

~glancing out my kitchen window, as the snow blows sideways across our yard.

~snacking on a bit of left over pumpkin tiramisu.  The recipe for this fabulous dessert can be found in A Year of Pies.  Yum!

~organizing volunteers for our church’s Friday Lenten Fish Fry.  Join us if you are able…It is always such fun!

~enjoying warm coffee roasted by JavaMania Gourmet Coffee Roastery…one of my favorite local coffee roasters.

~supervising another burlap project, repurposing coffee bags from the lovely people at JavaMania.  More on this activity in a few days.

~crafting a few new woolens to bring along on a winter hiking trip we plan to take in the very near future.

~beginning a new book, The Nature Principle by Richard Louv.  I have already enjoyed another of his works, The Last Child In The Woods, and hope to be enthralled with this read as well.

~wishing you a wonderful week!

What I’m Into This Week

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Whew.  It has been one of those weeks.  I know you all understand what I’m talking about…One of those weeks where all of a sudden you look at the calendar and realize multiple days have gone by without your noticing.  Yes.  That has been my week.

I think one reason for the craziness is I seem to have had my hand in a bit of everything this week.  So, with that said, here is what I’m into this week…

  • My girls had a few friends over and they made some Valentine’s Day ornaments using the “Salt Dough” recipe from Paula Deen’s My First Cookbook.
  • I just finished reading Radical Homemakers by Shannon Hayes, and let me tell you, it is a fabulous book!  It gave me a whole new perspective on homemaking as a means of ushering in social change.  Amazing.
  • I also just picked up another book by Shannon Hayes, Long Way On A Little.  It contains great insight into the world of eating closer to the source, and also has a ton of great recipes and project ideas.  Hopefully you will see some of this in action in upcoming posts.
  • It’s not only non-fiction on my reading list this week, I also just started reading Gone Girl for my next book club gathering.  It is a bit on the creepy side, but it is definitely a page-turner.
  • A dear friend of mine just passed along this link to a great homemade fruit snack recipe.  My youngest and I made four batches already this week and they are being gobbled up as fast as we can make them.
  • I started a crocheting project with wool from this farm.  It is working up nicely, and  rest assured there will be a picture of the finished project coming soon.
  • I’ve been perusing this thrift store and this one, and this antique mall lately for some new dishes.  I’ve come home with a lot of cute sweaters…and not so many dishes…ha.
  • My oldest daughter and I are looking forward to making quite a bit of cheese today with our kit from New England Cheesemaking Supply Company.
  • I want to redecorate our main bathroom, and I’ve been looking to make this project as the focal point of the room.
  • And last but certainly not least, I plan to try out two more pie recipes from A Year of Pies, my new favorite cookbook.IMG_0610

Valentine Number Two

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My youngest daughter’s Valentine idea yesterday led me to another idea I could use for my oldest daughter’s Valentines.  I used a similar play on words, changed sew to sow, and voila…2013 Valentines are done.  Here’s how to do it…

Step 1:  Cut a length of ribbon that will fit around your chosen seed pack.  (I gave myself an extra inch.)

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Step 2:  Put a dot of hot glue on one end of the ribbon and attach it to the seed pack.  Then use another dot of hot glue to attach the other end of the ribbon to itself.  (This way the seed pack won’t slip out of the ribbon.)

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Step 3:  Print your text I’m “SOW” happy you are my Valentine! onto these labels.

Step 5:  Place one label on the seed pack, over the seam of the ribbon.

And that’s it!

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Happy crafting!

At This Moment

/ makingofahome / 3 Comments

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At this moment I am…

~looking out my kitchen window at our puddle-ladden yard from all of our rain last night.

~glad I made the decision to attend daily Mass this morning.  This is something I need to start doing more often.  It was such an uplifting way to start out my day.

~reveling in the fact that we were recipients of one of the Annie’s Homegrown Grants for Gardens.

~amazed and very thankful for the outpouring of support we have received in regard to our school garden project.

~preparing to make some more homemade granola.

~scouring the internet for cute Valentine ideas.  If any of you crafting people out there have come upon any great ideas, please share them in the comment section.

~scanning the mess that has accumulated in each and every room of my house, and wondering whether or not I want to pick it up, or snuggle in and read a story with my youngest baby.  I’m thinking the later sounds so much better 🙂

~wishing you all a fabulous Monday!

Hearty Oatmeal Chocolate Chunk Cookies

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I am constantly testing out recipes in my kitchen, attempting to incorporate local organic ingredients to amp up the healthiness of the goodies we love to eat, while also keeping them super yummy.  I still had some locally-grown rolled oats in my fridge from this farmer and whole wheat flour from this farming family, so I created this recipe to highlight those hearty grains and their lovely earthy, nutty flavors.  Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup coconut oil

1 cup brown sugar (packed)

1/2 cup granulated cane sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 baking soda

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups rolled oats (not quick oats)

4-6 oz. high quality milk chocolate chopped into chunks (I love using Green & Black’s Organic Chocolate in all my baking.)

Cream the butter, coconut oil, and both sugars using a hand blender or stand mixer.  Then blend in the eggs and the vanilla.  After all of these ingredients have been well incorporated, add the baking soda, followed by both flours.  Now, mixing by hand, add the oats and chocolate.

Scoop the dough out (about 2 tablespoon-size) and bake at 375 degrees for 7-9 minutes, depending on whether you like chewy oatmeal cookies or crunchy ones.

*A note about all my recipes:  I use all organic ingredients, local when available.  I use non-homogenized milk, and all of the dairy we use is from animals raised on pasture. I also use oils that are non-GMO verified.  All our meat is raised locally on organic feed, and our beef is grass-fed, grass-finished.  All our spices and cane sugar are fair-trade certified and purchased through a cooperative.

Yam Fries With Spiced Aioli

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With winter now in full swing, I am trying to get seasonal ingredients on the table as much as I can.  This week I tried out a new experiment with fresh yams I found at the store.  This recipe made for a nice sweet and salty treat that the kids just gobbled right up.  Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 egg yolk

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

3/4 cup canola oil, plus additional oil for frying

1 cup olive oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

pinch of pepper

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, plus more for garnish

4 large yams

For the aioli:  Whisk the egg yolk with the Dijon mustard.  Very slowly, drop by drop, add the canola oil while whisking briskly.  The mixture should start to thicken.  Once all of the canola oil has been added, then very slowly, add the olive oil.  Continue to whisk while adding the olive oil.  The key is to add the oils very, very slowly while whisking continuously.  (This may take some time to master.  If the oil breaks, don’t get frustrated, it happens.  You could try again, or like I’ve done many a time, just eat it anyway 🙂  It still tastes pretty yummy, it’s just not the greatest consistency.)  Once both oils have been added, mix in the salt, pepper and nutmeg.  Pour into a bowl and garnish the aioli with a pinch of nutmeg.

For the yams:  Slice your yams into small strips.  Pour about one inch of canola oil in a pan and heat it.  (A trick is to sprinkle a drop of water in the oil once the oil has been heating for a while.  If the water sizzles when you add it, you know the oil is hot enough.)  Add a handful of the yams to the hot oil and allow to fry for 3-5 minutes.  Remove from the oil and allow to rest on a plate covered with a paper towel to drain off the excess oil.  Salt to taste.  Serve with the aioli.

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*A note about all my recipes:  I use all organic ingredients, local when available.  I use non-homogenized milk, and all of the dairy we use is from animals raised on pasture. I also use oils that are non-GMO verified.  All our meat is raised locally on organic feed, and our beef is grass-fed, grass-finished.  All our spices and cane sugar are fair-trade certified and purchased through a cooperative.

Welcome 2013

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Our amarylis stretched her pedals wide to greet 2013 last Tuesday.  I couldn’t believe she chose this day to awaken, but it seemed to represent a fresh start  for our family.  We needed a bit of freshness around these parts, seeing as each of us took our turn with the nasty flu bug that has been making its way through our neck of the woods.  My illness and long recovery is the reason it has taken me so long to return to this space.

I am very thankful to be feeling back to my normal self, and to share some holiday images with all of you.  Because of our bouts with illness, this holiday season was very low key, but it turned out to be a bit of a blessing.  Instead of the constant buzzing from here to there that often takes place around Christmas and New Year’s Day, we were able to nestle in and just enjoy some quality home-time with one another.

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I hope each and every one of you had a blessed holiday season, and find yourself filled with the sense of renewal this time of year brings with it.  Can you feel it?  As I sit here, clad in wool from head to toe, sipping my morning coffee, writing this post, I can feel the uniqueness of this time of year.  It’s a stirring deep within me, telling me this is sure to be a year filled with many blessings and a whole lot challenges.  I can’t wait to dive into the depths of this newness and get started.

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I wish all of you a wonderful 2013! 

Musings

/ makingofahome / 5 Comments

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It has come to my attention as of late, that my blog sometimes leaves moms feeling inadequate in their role as parent.  Please know, this has never been my intention.

Two and a half years ago, when I made the enormous leap to leave my paying job and stay home with my little ones, I was met with reactions that I never expected.  People flooded me with questions like, “Why would you want to just stay home?” and “What on earth will you do all day when you are sitting at home?” and “Why would you want to leave a career you have worked so hard for, and invested so many educational hours and dollars.”  This reaction sent me reeling for a very long time.

Then, as I stated in my “About” page, once I took the step and was enjoying my time home with my daughters, I still felt a sense of isolation because I didn’t feel as if I fit in with many of the moms I came into contact with.  It was at this time that I leaned heavily upon the holistic-momma-type blogs that I regularly follow, for the support I needed to get through the day to day that we all know can seem so very long sometimes.

I then decided to create a space of my own, right here, where other moms like me could go for crafty ideas, recipes, or just plan ole mommy support.  My sincere intention was, and still is, to simply put forth musings that may be useful to others.  And please do remember, this space is offering just that, musings. This is not, by any means, a minute by minute account of my life.  You may see a sewing project I just completed, but you don’t see the enormous pile of laundry that has been sitting in front of my Christmas tree for over a week now, so that I could complete that sewing project.  (I have included a picture of this now for your enjoyment 🙂 )  You may see a yummy home-cooked meal I prepared on a Monday night, but you don’t see me serving up popcorn, apples and cheese for dinner on a Friday night as we rush out the door for a tumbling lesson.  My point being, we are all human, and no one is super woman.  At least I’ve never met her.  We are all just trying to do the best we can for the little people God blessed us with.

And through this space, conversations have been opened up and valuable discussion has flourish in the waiting room of my daughters’ dance school, and in the parking lot of their preschool.  This blog has helped me to realize I am not alone in many of the decisions I make, and there are many people, right here in my very own community, who are trying to live a more conscious lifestyle in which they try to dig deeper and live more closely to the earth.  And I am so very grateful for each and every one of you who visit my blog daily, and for those that just stop by every once in awhile.   All of you have sincerely helped me to feel better in my own skin, and for that I am eternally thankful.