20by20

1920's Girl Scout Butter Cookie Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Songbirdtiff) — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 15:27:00 +0000

I posted on my facebook page the other night that I had a hankering for girl scout cookies, and decided to try out an old recipe that I found here. These cookies are buttery...so you know they're good. I halved this recipe because a family of three does not need six to seven dozen cookies.

THE EARLY GIRL SCOUT COOKIE RECIPE

1 cup butter
1 cup sugar plus additional amount for topping (optional)
2 eggs
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder

Cream butter and sugar together; add well-beaten eggs, then milk, vanilla, flour, salt,
and baking powder. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Roll dough, cut into trefoil shapes,
and sprinkle sugar on top, if desired. Bake in a quick oven (375°) for approximately 8
to 10 minutes or until the edges begin to brown. Makes six- to seven-dozen cookies.

My favorite part of this recipe is that it uses only real food. And by "real food" I mean words we can pronounce and recognize and not some mysterious preservative not found in nature.

Do you have a favorite "Real Food" recipe?

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Faith (Settle in, this is going to take a while)

noreply@blogger.com (Songbirdtiff) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 16:58:00 +0000

I've been sitting here staring at the blank screen on my computer for a few minutes now. I know what I want to say...kind of, I just don't know how to get it out in a coherent way. It all seemed so clear and concise in my mind when I was in the shower. I do my best writing in the shower. One day I'll invest in a waterproof laptop.

And a larger hot water heater.

Post shower, I get scraps of what I wanted to say, like scribbles on a cocktail napkin. I have a few words here and there, a few smudges, and a drink ring. I'll do my best to share what's on my heart today. Be forewarned, it's a long post, but I hope it's worth reading. If you like a cup of coffee or tea while you read, I'll wait while you get settled in...

James baptizing Lane

It all started just over a month ago when the company I contracted with finally hit me with the final round of downsizing eliminations. I thought I was safe, I was told specifically I was safe. Then, the dreaded email came, out of nowhere, to tell me my family's bread and butter was taken away. This was our main source of income (although thankfully not our only source) and it was a personal blow. That was one week before Christmas.

During the following weeks I worked to find more projects, and I have found a few here and there, but nothing to fully replace that income. So, I asked my husband to do something I was hoping wouldn't be necessary. I asked him to find a full time job, in addition to being a full time college student. Without any reluctance he quickly adjusted his school schedule and set to work looking for a full time job. He is much more flexible than I. He has had some great interviews (two interviews each with two different companies!).

With all this going on, I'd been debating whether or not I could really go on with my Master Gardener program. I deal with panic attacks and anxiety and being in a small room with many other people for 8 hour lecture days was hard for me to manage. Especially since I knew I should be working/looking for work. Then came the pain....

During this time my hubs has been struggling with some abdomen pain that comes and goes, and finally went to the doctor this week. The doc didn't do a lot while he was there, and hasn't give us any indication of what the pain might be but ordered a CT scan to be done this Friday. We will get the results on Monday. There's a big, fat unknown out there, hanging over our heads. This could be anything from a muscle sprain to the "C" word, or anything in between.

But...that's not what this post is about.

This post is really about faith, and how faith alters the way we see and react to our circumstances.

It would be very easy for me to freak out about all this. We all have our own methods of freaking out, from eating too much, to over-committing our time, to chemical distractions. Mine is hiding. I'll admit it, I'm a hider. I like to hide away and use logic to think about all the ways the outcomes I want to avoid can't be possible. I spend a lot of effort trying to bend logic to get my way. My thoughts go something like...

It can't be cancer because of xyz (I'm not a doctor!)
If I adjust this in the budget and we don't eat for 3 months we'll be fine! (Clearly not possible)
If I do this, or I do that, me, me me, I, I, I....

You get the idea.

This isn't about me. It's about Him and what I really think of the God who created me and who sets my path before me. The One who brought my family together and wants me to trust Him. No amount of logic, or hiding, or chocolate will change what's ahead. I have a choice here.

Do I REALLY trust The Lord and love His will?
Or do I say I trust him while harboring and clinging to my own will?

During this time in my life I'm doing things radically different than I have in the last 30 years. I'm trusting and hopeful. I'm anticipating good things to happen, I even have an occasional flutter of excitement to know that before long, this will be a memory, and I know that I can experience joy in the moment because I have air in my lungs, because my beloved husband is with me, and our son is thriving.

The Lord is faithful and I believe the best is yet to come.

Do you have any stories of faith to share?

**ETA: About 10 minutes after I published this James got an "unofficial" job offer. He just has to do a bit of paperwork before getting the official offer! God is good!

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Homemade Laundry Detergent Recipe + Tips

noreply@blogger.com (Songbirdtiff) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 16:20:00 +0000

One of my main goals this year is to go completely natural with our cleaning products. I have noticed that as I go more natural in other areas of my life, the smell of commercial cleaners burns my lungs and makes me nauseated. Clearly, my body doesn't like that stuff in the air and my brain doesn't like ingredients that I can't pronounce.

I decided to start with laundry detergent. We do a lot of laundry and the organic, good-for-the-environment stuff is expensive. I don't want to pump chemicals into the sewer system and I don't want residual chemicals on our clothes, rubbing up against our largest organ, skin, all day and night.

And I was running out of laundry detergent.

Having put off making laundry detergent for a good 5+ years I decided it was time to dive in! After getting the first double batch done I scolded myself harshly for not doing this sooner. I mean, it took 15 minutes to make about 60 loads worth of detergent. And since you only use one tablespoon per load, it takes up a lot less space in the laundry room.

This recipe can be found anywhere, I found it on pinterest. Feel free to experiment with bar soap. Most folks suggest castile or fels naptha. I used Ivory because that's what my son uses and he's had reactions to other kinds of soap. Plus it's cheap and I didn't want to feel bad about tossing the whole thing out if I didn't like it.

Laundry Detergent

3 bars of shaved soap (Ivory bars are small, so use that as a guide)

3 cups of borax

3 cups of Washing Soda

In a large bowl, grate the soap using a hand grater, or chop into small pieces and toss it in the food processor. Add the borax and washing soda and mix until fully incorporated, about 5 minutes. Use one tablespoon per load.

Tip 1: It can be difficult to get the soap to dissolve, but I have found that if I put in my soap, then start the washer on hot it dissolves fully. Once the washer is 1/4-1/2 full of hot water I switch over to cold to finish filling.

Tip 2: To make my measuring cup I used an old scoop I had tossed in my utensil drawer. I put in my one tablespoon, marked it with a sharpie, then added a second tablespoon and marked that for heavy loads.

Tip 3: Large, 32 oz. yogurt containers are perfect for this recipe. This fills two yogurt containers perfectly.

Note: I don't have a high efficiency washer, but because this recipe makes little to no suds, this recipe should work very well. The note on the original website where I found this recipe states:

"HE front-load washers require “special soap” for one reason alone – low suds. Because they use less water, they require soap that is less sudsy. The good news is, this homemade detergent is VERY low suds. The ”special” HE detergent is just another advertising mechanism to push consumers to buy “special soap” for unnecessarily high prices.

What do you think? Are you ready to make your own laundry detergent?

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Kimchi- Natural Fermentation

noreply@blogger.com (Songbirdtiff) — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 18:20:00 +0000

Well, it hit us - the thing that makes my heart beat fast with fear and my mind fill with dread.

The stomach bug.

This is exactly the sort of thing that is almost unavoidable when you have a child in public school. Of course that's not going to stop me from trying.

When I got serious about improving the way we eat, I started researching probiotics...specifically fermented foods. We have included food and drinks like kombucha and kimchi in our daily diets to improve our digestive health and, my favorite benefit, to help us fight off the stomach bug. When the beneficial bacteria in your gut outnumbers the bad, you have a better chance of fight off (or reducing the effects of) the stomach bug, food poisoning, and general intestinal distress.

On the suggestion of Susy at Chiot's Run, I tried a simple Kimchi recipe to get a good, basic foundation for fermentation. The recipe I've been using is from "The Joy of Pickeling" and after making it a few times I'm learning how I can adjust the ingredients to fit our taste. What I love about fermentation is that every batch isn't exactly like the last, different ingredients, measurement adjustments, and even changes in temperature affect the final taste. Since I consider myself a pickle connoisseur, this sort of food creating is just up my ally.

Complete Kimchi...half eaten

Cabbage Kimchi
(adjusted from "The Joy of Pickeling")

6 tbsp plus 2 teaspoon pickeling salt (I use kosher salt)

12 cups water

4 lbs Green Cabbage (or one whole cabbage head), chopped into 1" or smaller squares

6 green onions, chopped

3 tbsp minced fresh ginger

4 tbsp Korean ground dried hot pepper (or other mildly hot ground red pepper)

2 tsp sugar

1. Dissolve 6 tablespoons of salt in the water. Put the cabbage into a large bowl, crock, or nonreactive pot, and pour the brine (salt water) over it. Weigh the cabbage down with a plate or two so that all the cabbage is covered by brine. Let stand for 12 hours.

2. Drain the cabbage, reserving the brine. Mix the cabbage with the remaining ingredients, including the 1 teaspoon of salt. Pack the mixture into a 2-quart jar. Pour enough of the reserved brine over the cabbage to cover it. Push a freezer bag into the mouth of the jar, and pour the remaining brine into the bag. Seal the bag. Let the kimchi ferment in a cool place, around 68*, for 3-6 days, until the kimchi is as sour as you like.

3. Remove the brine bag, and cap the jar tightly. Store the kimchi in the refrigerator, where it will keep for months.

Note: If you are concerned about the batch going bad (which happens sometimes), "The Joy of Pickeling" says that the batch will be so offensive smelling you won't be tempted to eat it.

There's not much scientific evidence that probiotics help or prevent the stomach flu. (Of course, I think this is largely do to the fact they would rather spend time and money testing pharmaceuticals, but that's another post for another day...) But, I know the probiotics I create in my kitchen are natural and safe and it certainly won't hurt my chances. When the stomach bug hit I also started taking a little colloidial silver and beefed up my Vitamin C. And prayers...lots of prayers.

So, what do you think? Will you try Kimchi?

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Archived Categories

noreply@blogger.com (Songbirdtiff) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 15:57:00 +0000

Are you looking for an old post? Feel free to filter through the archives. These are categories I won't be adding to, but are still a viable part of the blog.

(These categories can always be found by clicking "Archived Categories" under the header)

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Moving Toward Organic: Grains (recipe included!)

noreply@blogger.com (Songbirdtiff) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 20:20:00 +0000

Ozark Natural Foods

When moving toward eating organic, grains are definitely the best place to start. While some organics require adjusting your style, cooking with grains is pretty much the same whether organic or not.

The key to keeping your grain purchases local and/or organic is buying in bulk. Do you have an organic food co-op in town? That's the best place to start! If you don't have one locally, there are some more distant coops that may deliver to your area. Don't know where to start? Check out localharvest.com and enter your zip code.

When starting the change to organic, I was committed to not wasting food, organic or not, so it was fairly easy to incorporate those new grains as I ran out of the old stuff. I mean, I had to buy it anyway, right? I would say that overall, I spend about 10%-15% more (over store brand prices) to buy bulk organic...in some cases I pay less!

Lane and I shopping :)

For example, for one pound of farina I pay $0.99. How much is a box of Cream of Wheat? $3.50? We're looking at paying about half price for organic AND we don't have the waste of the box.

Now, if you're not careful you can end up paying much more than regular food prices and totally busting your budget at which point you are going to tell yourself, "We can't afford to eat organic. I GIVE UP!". Just like at the supercenter, splurges will wreck the budget.

Prices at my local co-op. Very reasonable!

I think the best way to start organic is to pick three things to replace your normal food (when it runs out, of course). I suggest starting with...

Flour- Generally the same cost in bulk that you buy for mainstream, non-organic brands
Breakfast- farina, 7 grain cereal, and oatmeal are, again, about the same price as non-organic brands. Try my baked oatmeal!
Quinoa or Couscous- these wonderful whole grains can replace your white rice for dinner sides.

So there it is for you, all spelled out, a plan of action.

Starting out with those three ingredients will help you get on the right health track for your family and I think once you see how much better organic tastes, how much it doesn't cost, and how much better it makes you feel you will be encouraged to move forward.

Let me leave you with one more snippet to get you started. My "Mounds Bar" farina is a blissful breakfast.

"Mounds Bar" Farina

1/3 cup organic farina
1 cup water
dash of salt (I like real salt)
1 tsp powdered cocoa
2 tbsp of shredded coconut
2 tbsp ground flaxseed (opt)
1 tsp organic agave nectar (or sugar, or you can omit)

Combine farina, water, and salt and cook a few minutes on the stove or in the microwave until it's thick. Add remaining ingredients and stir. If it's too thick for your taste, add a bit of milk or cream.

I find this to be a wonderful way to start my day!

If you haven't already started, what do you think would be your first step in moving to organic? If you have already started, I'd love to hear your helpful suggestions!

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Springtime in January

noreply@blogger.com (Songbirdtiff) — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 16:18:00 +0000

So I'm celebrating with a springy scarf.

Master Gardener

noreply@blogger.com (Songbirdtiff) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 19:14:00 +0000


First day of class!

When other women my age are joining the junior league or becoming members of a fancy gym, I tend to move toward those with a little more dirt under their nails.

Yesterday I started my Master Gardener class and I can say honestly that from the very first moment...I knew I fit in. The folks there are so real, so fun, and very quirky. We listened intently for well over an hour as a man resembling Grizzly Adams discussed the ins and outs of composting. There were jokes about propagation, and as a group we lamented the terrible tomato season last year.

It was everything I'd hoped it would be. And more.

After nine hours of lectures, my brain was overflowing with botany as I made the drive home. As I drove quietly I recalled the amazing images of butterflies from the butterfly gardener, and tried to recall all the propagation techniques we discussed, some of which were brand new to me.

My next class is tomorrow, and they continue every Wednesday and Friday for the next two weeks. After that I have the rest of the year to complete 40 hours of volunteer time before I gain the official "Master Gardener" title.

I wonder how many people I will have to compete with to spend my time volunteering in the Butterfly Garden....

How are you spending your time during these cold winter days?

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About the Author

noreply@blogger.com (Songbirdtiff) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 22:56:00 +0000

About Songbirdtiff:

I am Tiffany, the author, creator, queen, CEO, and supreme ruler of this little piece of the Internet called 20-by-20: Adventures in Reckless Gardening. The name of this site comes from the very modest size of my family garden, 20 feet by 20 feet, through which I intend to feed my family fresh food year round. From this small area, what I consider the heart of my garden, we will experiment, preserve, and eat real food.

I won’t submit to conventional gardening rules, we don’t do things simply because that’s how everyone else does them. This blog is about gardening without rules, outside the box, with reckless abandon. Growing should be fun! We will have failures, of this I am sure, but we will also have plenty of victory...delicious victory.

Above all, the goal of this blog is to inspire you. I want to inspire you to turn a bit of dirt into something beautiful, to take time to enjoy your harvest, and to find beauty everyday.

Family:
My happy nest consists of my husband James, our son Lane, and a houseful of furry friends. In 2000, I married my best friend and have lived happily since. He is a good man, and I don't say that just because he's my husband.

In December of 2009, we celebrated "Gotcha Day" by bringing Lane home to be part of our forever family. Parenting a former foster child is filled with ups and downs, but we celebrate each milestone and work to make each day better than the last. In June of 2010, Lane legally became a part of our family, although he was in our hearts long before that.

Work:
I’ll just be blunt here and say that I’m not cut out to be in the corporate world. The idea of abiding by a dress code makes me break out in hives and the thought of spending day after day in a windowless cubicle makes my knees weak. I feel very blessed to spend most of my days barefoot and relaxed in my own home working as a freelance contractor with a few different companies. (contact me if you are in need of a copywriter or professional blogger, or if you are interested in sharing my content)

If you have dirt, you can grow something!

Moving Toward Organic

noreply@blogger.com (Songbirdtiff) — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 15:32:00 +0000

In the last six months I've made a concerted effort to learn how to feed my family better while sticking to our very tight budget. If you're new around here you might not know that my hubby is a full time college student and we live primarily off my income working from home as a freelance copywriter (among a few other things). We make ends meet by staying out of debt and living simply.

Trying to squeeze eating organic on an already tight budget has been a challenge, but I've found some ways to make it work. Now, we aren't all organic and probably never will be. I believe that very often eating locally is superior to eating mass produced, commercial organic. However, I believe that homegrown foods are better than everything else. Lucky for us, I love to grow things.

So while we wait for the Songbirdtiff blog to make the full transition to 20-by-20, I thought it might be nice to do a series on eating naturally. When I say naturally, I mean organic, whole foods, and/or homegrown but NOT over processed or filled with preservatives.

Transitioning to eating better is a slow process, and you have to do what works for your family and lifestyle. I hope that through this series you will be able to find some inspiration to make little changes.

Here are the topics I will cover:

Grains
Protein
Dairy
Veggies
Herbs and Spices

Is there something you want to read about?

Leave me a comment!

Hello, Mr. Cardinal

noreply@blogger.com (Songbirdtiff) — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 20:44:00 +0000

We splurged on a nice little bird feeder this weekend and the birds have thanked us with their presence.

Homemade Laundry Detergent- In Progress

noreply@blogger.com (Songbirdtiff) — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 21:33:00 +0000

Today I'm making laundry detergent. I'll share the details when I decide whether or not I like it.

Looking Forward

noreply@blogger.com (Songbirdtiff) — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 15:34:00 +0000

I thought about doing a "year in review" post. Then I thought about this year....I can't say that I really have any desire to revisit the majority of it.

I've lived.
I've learned.
I'm moving on.

I have a few goals for 2012, and above all I'm thankful that none of them have to do with losing weight. Last year (ok, for the last several years) my main goal was to lose weight and get healthier and I finally made it! I'll tell ya, if your goal is to lose weight, I would implore you to consider changing it to being healthier. When your motivation is coming from the right place, the results will come naturally.

With past goals out of the way, I'm able to focus on brand new goals for this year. At the very top of my list is to become a better gardener. Towards the end of last year, I signed up to be in the Master Gardener Program at our local college. I had no idea if I would get in, and at the informational meeting I felt like I stuck out like a sore thumb, being a good 20-30 years younger than the vast majority of the other potential students. It's never bothered me to be younger than my peers. Frankly, I prefer it. There is no better way to learn than from those with life experience. Much to my delight, I found out a month ago I was accepted and we start class in January. This is something that I get to do, to put my brain to good use, and do something just for me.

I can't wait!

I have a few more healthy living goals for this year. As a family we are moving toward living even more naturally, being better to ourselves and the environment. I find wonderful inspiration over at Chiot's Run. I've learned so much from Susy, and she keeps me motivated to make healthy changes.

I'm working on this change a little early by making laundry detergent today. We will be switching over to all homemade, non-toxic cleaners by the end of the year. It's an attainable goal that will have life-long benefits to my little family.

My goals this year aren't extensive or complicated. I have no desire to travel the world or jump out of a plane. I want to spend more time outside with my family, learning, and generally being happy.

Do you have goals for the New Year?

noreply@blogger.com (Songbirdtiff) — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 20:14:00 +0000

My wish for you all this year is to find peace in the chaos, joy in the sorrow,

and gratitude in your many blessings.

Merry Christmas!

Homemade Chocolate Gravy Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Songbirdtiff) — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 23:58:00 +0000

I don't have a photo for this chocolate gravy recipe. This is largely due to the fact that I cannot even conceive of taking a photo when there is such goodness waiting to be consumed.

Priorities, people. Priorities.

Let me paint a mental picture. In your mind's eye, imagine warm, thick, smooth chocolate. It's buttery and sweet. It's served on top of biscuits. It's breakfast.

Are you drooling yet? I am.

This is our special holiday breakfast. For the last few years I've made chocolate gravy for Thanksgiving and Christmas. It gives us something special to look forward during the holidays, something special just for us.

Homemade Chocolate Gravy

1/2 cup cocoa
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3/4 cup white sugar
2 cups milk
1 tablespoon butter
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/4 tsp salt

Directions

Combine the cocoa, flour, and sugar together in a bowl until smooth.
Wisk the milk into the dry ingredients until well incorporated.
Cook the mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly until it's the consistency of gravy. (7 to 10 minutes)
Remove from heat and stir the butter, vanilla, and salt into the mixture until the butter is melted. Serve immediately over warm biscuits.

I like to use layered buttermilk biscuits or homemade biscuits with my gravy. I'm a little embarrassed that I butter my biscuits THEN I cover them with chocolate gravy. Then I tell myself over and over that it's ok because it's only twice a year. I like to serve apples or bananas on the side. Bananas and chocolate...yum!!!

Oh please tell me you will try this and tell me what you think!

Baked Oatmeal

noreply@blogger.com (Songbirdtiff) — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 01:47:00 +0000

I can't believe I haven't made this for breakfast at all this Autumn. Well, there's no time to start like the present.

I love making a big batch of this for breakfast during the week because it's extremely hearty, you can eat it warm or cold (or on the run!), and it's got that cinnamony taste that warms from the inside out.

I like to eat mine warmed up, with a bit of butter on top, and covered in milk. It's nutty.

Kind of like me.

Baked Oatmeal

1 cup of oil (I like to use coconut oil but veggie or canola oil will work. Applesauce is a good substitute.)

1 1/2 cup white sugar or brown sugar

4 eggs

6 cups of oats

4 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1 tbs. cinnamon

2 cups of milk

Combine all ingredients in the order listed. Pour into greased 9x13 pan. Bake at 375* for 30-40 minutes until lightly browned. You can also refrigerate the mix overnight and pop it in the oven in the morning.

Homemade Chocolate Chip cookies

noreply@blogger.com (Songbirdtiff) — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 01:35:00 +0000

Is there anything better than the smell and taste of warm, straight from the oven chocolate chip cookies? Well, tonight I had a hankerin' so I whipped out my tried and true recipe and got to work.

I never actually have chocolate chips in my house (because obviously I would eat them all before i got around to making cookies.) but I pretty much always have a dark chocolate bar in the freezer for emergencies. After a particularly hard week, this was definitely an emergency.

I put my chocolate bar in a freezer bag and beat the heck out of it with a hammer. Voila! Chocolate chips. I also felt a lot calmer about life in general. I guess taking a hammer and smashing something to smithereens will have that effect on a girl.

Homemade Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup of butter, softened

1 cup of white sugar

1 cup packed brown sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp pure vanilla extract

3 cups unbleached white flour (or all purpose)

1 tsp baking soda

2 tsp hot water

1/2 tsp salt

2 cups chocolate chips, or one large chocolate bar

1. Preheat oven to 350*

2. Cream together he butter, white sugar, and brown sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Dissolve the baking soda in hot water. Add to batter, along with salt. Stir in flour and chocolate chips. Drop by large spoonfulls onto ungreased cookie sheets.

3. Bake for 10-14 minutes or until lightly browned.

Preparing for Spring

noreply@blogger.com (Songbirdtiff) — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 00:23:00 +0000

The way I figure it, I have about 6 months to prepare the garden for Spring. At this point gardeners are making their final harvests, tossing those worn out plants into the compost, and generally preparing for a time of rest. I'm not quite ready to rest from garden work quite yet.

When I started the garden this year, I didn't know if anything would grow, or what to do with it if it did. Much to my surprise my plants flourished, even thrived. In spite of the extreme heat and drought, my beloved plants grew and I developed a love of gardening. During the worst of my anxiety, I was able to find some peace when I couldn't find relief in many other areas.

Since my garden has done so much for me, I decided this Autumn is a good time to give a lot back to the garden. I have to begin with dealing with enemy number one: Crabgrass. I don't want to think of how much time I've spent this summer pulling crabgrass, but I'd venture a guess that it's the equivalent of a part time job.

I managed to get lucky and find some brand new garden edging at a thrift store for $5. It's enough to edge half my garden. Needless to say, I'm hoping to get this lucky again between now and April.

After an afternoon of digging and lamenting my lack of upper body strength, I managed to get the garden edged. Take that, crabgrass!

I have BIG plans for my little garden between now and Springtime, and I'm looking forward to sharing them with you.

What are you doing to prepare your garden for Winter?

This is why it's called a "loveseat"

noreply@blogger.com (Songbirdtiff) — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 19:47:00 +0000

Taco "Meat"

noreply@blogger.com (Songbirdtiff) — Sun, 02 Oct 2011 21:06:00 +0000

The first thing you should know is that it's not meat. I'm a carnivore to be sure, but I can't afford organic meat every night, and I don't want to use low grade, Wal-Mart meat, so I've been working on a taco filler that makes wonder, "Who needs beef?". I think I've found it.

While I'm sharing this to benefit everyone, I'm also writing it down so I remember for next time.

I have a terrible memory.

For this recipe I used the highest quality, lowest priced protein out there...dry bulk beans. You could use canned beans and still save money and reap the health benefits.

Taco "Meat"

2 1/2 cups Red Beans

2 1/2 cups Black Beans

One onion, diced

1 head of garlic, diced

1 tbs Oil, butter, or bacon grease

1 can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup cilantro

3 tbs onion powder

3 tbs garlic powder

1 1/2 tbs ground red pepper

1 1/2 tbs chili powder

1 1/2 tbs ground cumin

1/4 cup Canola oil (this can be omitted, it just makes the beans creamier, like refried)

3 tbs jalapeno juice (from jarred jalapenos)

chopped jalapenos to taste

2 tbs lemon or lime juice

salt, to taste

black pepper, to taste

Soak beans overnight, and cook. (I just stick mine in the crockpot all day)

In a large pan, saute oil, chopped onion and garlic. Add cooked beans and remaining ingredients, let everything cook together 15 minutes or so. (it's like chili, the longer it cooks together, the better it is) Mash with a potato masher to get refried bean texture.

Serve with your taco favorites: salsa, salsa verde, sour cream (or greek yogurt!), peppers, lettuce, guacamole, etc. I like mine on a whole wheat tortilla.

What is your favorite taco topping?

Kale Chips

noreply@blogger.com (Songbirdtiff) — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 16:01:00 +0000

Kale chips are everywhere and at the risk of being a bandwagon-jumper, I'm going to post them here. For us, kale chips are free food since I grow kale in my garden. Free superfood is certainly a good thing.

Let me tell you first that kale is extremely easy grow. It grows in hot and cold, sun and shade. It produces like crazy and requires very little attention. If you have a flower garden, container, or pretty much any space in your yard, I'd highly recommend trying it.

Anyway, back to the chips.

Kale Chips

1 bunch kale
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon Kosher (or your favorite) salt

Preheat an oven to 350 degrees
Remove the leaves from the thick stems with a knife or kitchen shears and tear into bite size pieces. Wash and thoroughly dry kale with a salad spinner.
Put all ingredients in a large ziplock bag and mix well. Make sure all leaves are coated lightly with oil.
Spread evenly on the cookie sheet.
Bake until the edges brown but are not burnt, 10 to 15 minutes.

**note: there's about 30 seconds between perfect and burned, so watch carefully. Times seem to vary greatly between ovens.

Even the kiddo loved them!

Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Songbirdtiff) — Sat, 24 Sep 2011 18:05:00 +0000

Last week I shared my too-easy-not-to-do-it homemade chicken broth. Now you need something to use it in!

One of my favorite things about chicken noodle soup is the noodles. Noodle quality can really make or break a chicken soup recipe. This is why, because I love you all, I'm sharing both my chicken noodle soup and my noodle recipe with my peeps. Believe me, people will be impressed when you say you make your own noodles. Also, believe me when I say that if I can make this, anyone can.

Chicken Noodle Soup
(noodle recipe below)

1 tbsp butter
2 cloves garlic, chopped (more if you're sick, garlic is a natural antibiotic)
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup celery
6 cups chicken broth, or 4 cans
1/2 pound chopped, cooked chicken
1 cup sliced carrots (canned works, too)
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp salt (I like kosher)
1/2 tsp white or black pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp chicken bullion
homemade noodles

In a large pot over medium heat, melt butter. Cook, garlic, onion an celery in butter until just tender. Pour in chicken broth, and stir in chicken, carrots, basil, oregano, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and bullion. Add noodles and simmer for 20-30 minutes before serving.

This can also be made in a crockpot: Combine all ingredients and cook on low for 4 hours. Add the noodles about 30-45 minutes before serving.

Homemade Noodles

2 eggs, beaten
2 tbsp milk
1 cup white or whole wheat flour
2 tsp baking powder
dash of salt

Combine all ingredients. Roll flat with a rolling pin, adding extra flour as needed. When rolled thin, cut into very thin strips. Let dry approximately 30 minutes.

For these noodles, I like to roll them thin, lay them on paper towels, then cut with a pizza cutter. After they have had some time to dry, I add them to my soup.

This recipe will freeze beautifully, and is economical enough to share with under-the-weather neighbors.

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How to Make Homemade Chicken Broth

noreply@blogger.com (Songbirdtiff) — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 14:27:00 +0000

Soup season has finally arrived! After a long, dry, unbelievably hot summer, I find this season change overwhelmingly pleasant. I'm so anxious for homemade soup that I decided to try my hand at making homemade broth on the first cool day.

To prep the chicken, I cleaned the remainder of meat off the bird and got enough for a pot of chicken noodle soup. If you want low-fat broth, you will want to remove all skin, but I'm a big fan of full fat broth. Did you know your body will only absorb certain vitamins and minerals with fat? I like those benefits in my broth. On a related note, here's a good article on the health benefits of homemade stock.

Here's my lunch, scraps for soup, and cleaned carcass...

I knew I would be making soup soon so I saved scraps from veggies in a cottage cheese container in my fridge. Here's a list of veggies to use and not use from thekitchn.com...

• Vegetables to use: Onions, carrots, and celery are the key ingredients in vegetable stock, but many other vegetables can add depth and flavor. Wash and save roots, stalks, leaves, ends, and peelings from vegetables such as leeks, scallions, garlic, fennel, chard, lettuce, potatoes, parsnips, green beans, squash, bell peppers, eggplant, mushrooms, and asparagus. Corn cobs, winter squash skins, beet greens, and herbs like parsley and cilantro are also good additions.
• Vegetables to avoid: Scraps from the following vegetables are better off going into the compost bin, as their flavors can be too overpowering: cabbage, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, turnips, rutabagas, artichokes. Beet roots and onion skins should also be avoided, unless you don't mind your stock turning red or brown.

So when you're chopping veggies, save those ends and skins for your broth. I don't use roots, probably because I'm to lazy to wash them well.

I toss my veggie scraps in, along with some garlic pearls that my grandpa gave me. They come from the bottom of the bulb and grow around the cloves, and provide a lot of garlic flavor. I also toss in whatever herbs I have around, in this case I just had fresh oregano, and put in some dried herbs. To get the best benefits from the chicken bones, you need a bit of acid to help extract the minerals and marrow. I added a couple tablespoons of one of my favorite things in the world, Bragg Apple Cider Vinegar, to the pan and then I fill my pan almost to the top with water. Keep in mind that some of this water will evaporate.

garlic bulbs before peeling

I bring the whole concoction to a good boil, then reduce heat to let it simmer for about four hours. Using a crockpot is also a great option.

After a good afternoon of simmering, and my drooling over the smell, you get this beautiful warm brown broth.

Now it's time to strain the broth for storage. I just use a regular pasta strainer, but if you want every particle out, more like store bought broth, you could use cheese cloth for straining. I have found that old sour cream or yogurt containers are perfect for freezing. I put two cups of broth in each container, and when it's time to make soup I pour hot water on the outside of the container and my broth-cube plops right out.

Tonight we will be having my Chicken Noodle Soup with homemade noodles.

Fall is here. Hallelujah. Amen.

Ahhhhhh tumn

noreply@blogger.com (Songbirdtiff) — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 13:14:00 +0000

This week we FINALLY got a break from the record breaking hot, dry summer. The moment that first crisp breeze blew through, I was ready for Autumn decor, cooking soup, and pumpkin spice candles.

I was ready for a change.

When it comes to decorating for seasons, I keep it simple. For this reason, my dining room is basically a blank slate, ready for seashells in the summer, balls of yarn in the winter, and shiny Christmas ornaments between Thanksgiving and Christmas. But right now, it's time for the warm colors of Fall.

The first thing I decorate is the large shelf in the dining room...

Then of course in the oak cabinet, adorned with Autumn inspired photos, and little glass pumpkins from the Dollar Tree. (I LOVE these pumpkins!)

I like to keep my table centerpiece super simple. I love seeing other folk's ornate arrangements, but they just don't work in my house. Maybe I just love my table too much. :)

I think it comes together nicely.

In the living room, I add a few Autumn elements to the top of my vintage ironing board. Buddy the dog is a fan of the change. Or maybe he's enjoying the pumpkin spice candle, dreaming of his very own pumpkin pie.

I'd love to hear your favorite thing about Autumn!

Is the food? Spicy smells? Colors?

Another Goes Over the Rainbow Bridge

noreply@blogger.com (Songbirdtiff) — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 19:12:00 +0000

Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.

When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor. Those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by. The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.

They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent. His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.
You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together....

Sunday night, after Lane went to bed I found Agodor had passed away, quietly in his sleep. Needless to say it is a shock and for the third time in a year, My heart is broken again. Our pets have always been a blessing and what I consider our greatest luxury in life. I hate that we weren't prepared, beyond the fact that we knew he was old, but I am grateful that he didn't suffer and that he passed peacefully.

I began reading a book called "Cold Noses at the Pearly Gates", which was suggested by a pet-loving and much trusted friend. I am finding that it provides some peace and insight into God's purpose in creating animals as our companions.

Today I'm reminded to be grateful for every moment I have with my critters, friends, and families. None of us are promised anything beyond this moment. Let's make the best of it.