mindfulness

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.

Our Crafting Space

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After spending so much time crafting over the holidays, I realized I have never shared our crafting space with all of you.  The previous owners of our home used this space as a dark room because the husband was a hobby photographer.  When we took ownership of the property, this space was perfect to house our crafty endeavors.

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Over the last four years, the walls have grown covered with artwork, making it a cozy little space that perfectly suits our arts and crafts needs.  On many a weekend, you can find us gals down in the basement, nestled into this small space, creating away.

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Brew and Moo

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The mercury had risen just a touch, but enough to make it bearable outside.  The snow fell lightly upon the ground, leaving a white dusting on the roofs of houses and the paved roadways.  This past weekend we took full advantage of this beauty.  I kept the kitchen warm with the stovetop all abustle, and the smell of warm milk in the air.  Meanwhile, my hubby could be found in the nearby garage, reading and mixing his brew with the aromas of hops pouring forth into the crisp air outside.  The girls frolicked in the snow, while the cat sat perched in a tree, taking in all the action.

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My oldest daughter and I used our favorite cheese kit and made two pounds of fresh mozzarella cheese.  (You can check out our previous cheesemaking experience here.)  For the first time, I allowed her to truly assist me by slowly stirring the curd and then stretching it, adding salt, and then forming it into small balls of deliciousness.  The best part of the entire experience was when this six year-old, who normally only likes “cooked cheese,”  took a ball of fresh mozzarella and bit in.  She said, “Well, I only like cheese that I make.  That’s the only kind I’ll eat.”  Love.

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The holidays left us empty handed in the home-brew department, so my husband brewed three fresh batches this weekend.  He tried out a new brewing kit, and then made two tried and true favorites…a caramel creme ale and a fabulous breakfast stout.

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The finished products of the day:  beer, cheese and a bit of hot chocolate of course.  Is there anything better?  Yum!

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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! 

It’s The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year

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The aroma of fresh pine needles and sweet sap waft through the warm air, as flecks of light play upon the dark walls of the dining room.  The notes of Tchaikovsky serve as the background melody while sounds of giggling and merriment echo from the playroom.  The kitchen bustles with cookie-making and ornament-crafting, while feline eyes peer in the frosty window watching the activity.  It truly is the most wonderful time of the year, and we are doing our best to soak up all this season has to offer.

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In our family’s attempt to simplify this holiday, we are trying our very best to slow down and enjoy the moments that can so easily pass us by if we are not careful.  In this effort, I will be stepping away from this space until after the Christmas holiday so that I can fully dedicate all of my time to my little ones during this most magical of all seasons.  I wish all of you the most wonderful holiday season.  One filled with lasting memories and happiness.  God bless.

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Musings

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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.

The Gift of Homemade

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The season of gift-giving is upon us, and this year we have decided to take a different approach to our most-loved holiday.  We hope to create many of our gifts with our very own hands, thus giving our friends and family something truly from deep within our hearts.  Here is a bit of what is in the works right now…

Late Fall Planting

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The week of Thanksgiving, we abandoned the warmth of our kitchen to do a bit of gardening.  We recently acquired asparagus and rhubarb crowns, and wanted to get them into the ground before the first major freeze of the season.  So, we took advantage of a seasonably warm afternoon, stepped into our gardening shoes, and dug our fingers into the cool, damp soil.

First on the docket was to sort through our worms from our compost.  The girls and Tyler picked out each individual wormy (as the girls like to call them), and placed them into a fresh compost bin that would be moved inside for the winter.  Then the amazing, black gold was used in the trenches that would house the asparagus roots.

The girls then helped me to separate the asparagus roots, which we concluded look just like how we imagine aliens to look, and placed them deep beneath the surface of the soil.  We did the same with the rhubarb crowns, burying them underneath the black earth in hopes they will produce delicious spring vegetation in a few months.