Friday, September 23, 2011

Going into Business!

     Here's what I got up at four am to do this morning,,,




     When I was watching the Goober, I kinda got used to having a little of my own money. Well, she is now in daycare, and I have been missing the "dough" (pun intended:) My neighbor asked me to make him some bread, and my husband said,,,, yet again,,,,,, "why don't you go into business and sell your bread?" And instead of once again brushing the idea off, I thought,,,, hmmmm,,,, why don't I? I mean, I have been baking most of our bread for years, and I have gotten really quite good at it. And, we can't be the only people who are dissatisfied with the "bread" they pawn off in supermarkets, I mean that stuff is hardly even food! So on a whim, I made a face book group and added some of my relatives and closest friends who I thought would be interested in homemade bread. The group descriptions says,

" I have a feeling, in these times of "reconnecting" with our food, that more people wish they had the time to make something as simple as bread. After all, that fluffy, chemically laden stuff on the supermarket shelves is hardly even food. Even the whole grain kinds have ingredients your grandma and great grandma would never have even heard of, let alone put in thier bread! I have been making all of our bread for years now, and (not to toot my own horn) have gotten pretty good at it! I can make a delicious loaf of bread, just like grandma's, from only 5 ingredients! Nothing fancy, just real, honest, and simple bread. The kind you would make for your family if you had time! So why not let me do it for you! 1st loaf is free, and after that $2.50 a loaf and free weekly delivery! This is less than you would pay for a CHEEP loaf of bread from the store! Give it a try, you wont be sorry!"


     Within the first 24 hours TEN loaves had been ordered by five of the ten people in the group! I am actually really excited! I hope I can get orders for about 50 loaves a week, that will be a doable number, and give the some $ for Christmas!
     So, since I have been up since before sunrise filling the first two orders, I think I am going to go take a nap! Pleasant weekend everyone!

Monday, September 19, 2011

Another busy monday

    My feet are a little achy, but I got so much don't today! I cleaned up the bedroom, washed and put away two loads of laundry, swapped the summer clothes for the fall/winter clothes, changed the sheets and made the bed, vacuumed the bedroom and living room carpets, cleaned the bathroom, did dishes, and now I am relaxing while the four loaves of whole wheat bread are baking in the oven! Tomorrow, all I have to do is sweep the kitchen floor and mop, then I will have the rest of the day to do as I please. I have a few crafty projects that need working on, and its so much nicer to work on them in a clean home!
     My hubby will be late getting back tonight. He is taking a hunters safety course at a local school so that this year he can get his license and bring home the venison! I'm really glad he is getting into this, I was raised in a hunting family, and though I don't hunt myself I LOVE wild game of all sorts. We hunt for food, not trophy's, so if your only experience of hunting is something you might have seen on TV, then you are probably misinformed as to the REAL reason a lot of people partake of this traditional sport. There is nothing in the world that can bring you quite as close to you food as providing it yourself!
     Anyway, I am sitting down now, crocheting granny squares and watching some Midsomer Murders:) I love me my british mysteries!!! I hope you all are enjoying this beautiful start to our week!
     ~God Bless

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Free Food

     I love the blessing of free food! We are very fortunate, in that barely a month goes by without some free food coming our way in one form or another. Now we are not in anyway in need. We have all the food we want, and are very blessed in that way. I just appreciate a gift when I get it!
     Today's free offering came in the form of potatoes. My hubby works for a food wholesale company, and delivers all manner of foods to businesses and restaurants in the state. Often, though, as is the case in our society, less than perfect food is tossed out. After all, what customer would buy a bruised apple, a loose banana, or a dinged potato? But, as that wise old saying goes, one man's trash is another man's treasure, and being the daughter of a "Trash" man, I know this for a fact! 
     Twice hubby has brought home boxes of bananas, that I promptly turned into brad and muffins and froze, to be eaten at our leisure, for quick breakfasts and snacks. Just the other day he brought home 5lbs of pickled polish sausages. Now, I hear you saying, what on earth are they going to do with FIVE pounds of pickled sausages???? Well, I don't know,,,,, but even if we only eat a few and toss the rest, hey, those few snacks were free! We also get a lot of venison from family, especially around this time of year, when they try and use up whats left in the deep freeze to make room "hopefully" for the fresh shot game of the season. Its all good, we will take whats offered and be glad:)
     So, about 3lbs of potatoes, each with a gash that was easily cut off, are in a pot, ready to be boiled and mashed to go along with the roast chicken that's in the oven. (The smell of which has had me almost drooling on my shirt for the past hour and a half!) I am getting pretty hungry now, and I had better go and check the chicken. Do you get (or go look for) "free" food? How are your feelings on visual imperfections of food? I love to know what you think!

Grilled Summer Squash Salad

      We are nearing the end of a rather wonderful summer here in the northeast of the United States. My husband and I have enjoyed our new eating habits, and I especially am enjoying dropping TWO skirt sizes as many months! Unfortunately, the wonderful fresh summer veg wont be available for much longer, so we are making good use of it while we can. This week we picked up a beautiful assortment of winter squashes, two of which I have never tried before. I made a delightful (and delicious!) Roasted veg and kale soup, I will be making it again and will post about it when I do! Today's recipe though, is a good way to enjoy the last of the summer squash,
     Grilled summer squash salad, YUM! I had a couple of squashes that needed using up, and I was bored with the usual sauteing of them. So I had Hubby get the Foreman grill out (one of his most favorite Christmas gifts of all time!) and heat it up. I Brushed slices of squash and green pepper with a little EVOO, then sprinkled with garlic powder and s&p. Grilled until seared and served up on a bed of fresh greens and cherry tomatoes, healthy eating can be soooo good!       Today is a very "fall" day though,,, cloudy, cool, with a thunderstorm moving in. I think I will take a nice hot bath then roast a chicken for dinner, and work on some granny squares,,,, I am almost done enough granny squares for the bedspread I am making of Irish roses, I can't wait to see how it turns out and show you! Have a good night, and God bless~

Monday, September 5, 2011

If I have a black eye,,,,,

     ,,,its due to being so mad at myself that I slapped me silly! I LOST CAMERA!!!! My hubby was a lovely hubby, and took me to the Windsor fair for a treat. We had a wonderful time, gorging on deliciously fried junk food and fresh squeezed lemon aid, petting and cooing over the wonderful farm animals, and of course spending FAR to much money on a darts game so my hubby could win me a black stuffed Dotson. It was all peachy until we had left the fair grounds and were getting in the car and I did the usual pocket pat down to remove my phone,,,,,,,and there was NO CAMERA! We hurried back in to the grounds and had a look where we were sitting, no luck. I left my number with a nice elderly fair "police" officer, but no one has called.
     So, I am sad. We have to get a "new" car first, then I will be able to get another camera. I may not be able to blog too much until then, as I don't want to be boring trying to describe what I am doing without showing you. We'll see. Maybe I will actually just start "musing", as that doesn't involve any illustrations:)
     So, no you know,,,, if I don't post to much for the next few weeks. God bless!