The Penny Worthy Project

Well this week has been crazy as hell. And that's being as lady like as I can be. I had an unexpected run to the big city, recording radio interviews, recording my first radio show and making Kugel with 42 kids. Oh you know along with all my other mom jobs too. Plus 42 chickens, half of which are laying. Oh but the annoying part of the chickens laying is they are not laying in the laying in their boxes but randomly throughout the woods. FUN.

 I spent a couple hours preparing for a big consignment sale. I had lots of clothes my kids had outgrown and a few they never wore so I washed them and tagged them and took them to the sale. It was like a party over there! Lots of moms setting up a huge sale. Next time I am definitely volunteering for set up, what fun! If you live around here come on over to the fairgrounds this weekend and check out the HUGE consignment sale, if you come tomorrow night I'll be there from 5-9 helping out.

Oh! the winner of the postcards is Jessica! Who had this to say "I would love the little cards...perhaps framing them and using them for Halloween decorations. The twins have been asking to decorate. Keep us posted about the radio show - cant wait to tune in! :)" Yeah Jessica!

I did a bit of thrift shopping this week and got out of the stores very lightly, very lightly indeed. I bought exactly two things, ok well two bags of things.

Yep office supplies. I am so very very interesting. But we really needed them and for a total of 35 cents I figured it was a good deal.

And you? What's penny worthy for you this week?

  Peace and Love--


 

Local Eats

I've been busily working on a not so secret project lately, a radio show, and it scares me to death. Seriously I am a shy person and the thought of speaking in front of people makes me sick to my stomach. But the need to spread the word about the local food scene in our valley is stronger than my shyness. If you know me in real life you're thinking BS, she is not shy, but I am and I FORCE myself to step outside my comfort zone on a daily basis.

Back to the SHOW! It's called Local Eats and it's going to cover all about food in our borough, the Matanuska Susitna Borough that is. Farmers, CSAs, new restaurants, old restaurants, food storage, preservation, The Alaska State Fair, cottage industries, the local brewery and so much more. I have recorded the first show and it was actually fun! I don't know when it will air but I will let you all know when it is scheduled. And it will be available as a podcast so you can download it and listen when you want to. The radio station is Radio Free Palmer 89.5 fm located in Palmer, how about that?

Each show will feature a menu: Appetizers--bits and pieces around the world--Main Dish--1-2 pieces on the local food scene and Dessert--a sweet treat whether it be a recipe or an interview or.....I will be interviewing folks around town once or twice a week, sharing a blog post when relevant and basically having a delicious time.

If you live locally and you have a hot tip on any food issues, events, restaurants please feel free to drop me an email at localeats.palmer@gmail.com.

How will this affect this blog? It won't. I will be continuing to post here regularly because this is my first love.


Peace and Love--



 

Coconut Curry Chicken Noodle Soup

If you have, say, a picky child or god forbid a picky adult in your house and they cringe at the idea of 'new' foods this might be a recipe for you. Think of it as a gentle introduction to flavors and spices they really will like without any fire or a lot of spice. It's basically just a vamped up chicken noodle soup, (shh don't tell my family that though, because they thinks it's something super delish and special) so picky eaters will definitely have a touchstone with it and yet it pushes their comfort level out just a bit.

I have one boy who hates everything on principal. He's not picky just every thing is ew and yuck until he eats it, then he likes it. He also boldly states he is a vegetarian while eating corn dogs. And New York steak makes him gag. This soup was deemed disgusting the first time I made it, yet he ate giant bowls full and gladly chowed down on it for lunch the next day. This child is why the three bite rule still stands at our house, you must eat three bites of everything on your plate, because this boy vetoes everything until he tastes it. Except New York Steak, he never ever never likes it EVER, sigh.



Coconut Curry Chicken Noodle Soup

1 TBSP cooking oil
1/2 an onion, chopped
4 ribs of celery, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and diced
2 teaspoons of curry powder** more to taste
2 quarts of water
2 quarts of chicken broth
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 28 ounce can of petite diced tomatoes
2 TBSP pesto
1 13 1/2 ounce can coconut milk
8 ounces of spaghetti
salt and pepper to taste

heat the cooking oil over medium heat in a large dutch oven or other soup pot
saute the onion, celery and carrot until soft
add the curry powder and cook one minute until fragrant
add the water and scrape up the good browned bits
add the broth next and the chicken, cover and simmer for 1 hour
remove chicken from the broth and set aside to cool
add the tomatoes, pesto and whisk in the coconut milk and bring to a boil
reduce heat a bit and add the pasta
shred the chicken and return to the soup
cook until pasta is done
taste and add salt and pepper as needed, also add more curry powder if needed

This is so good and so easy and makes fantastic leftovers. Picky people beware you will be eating better more delicious food in the near future! From here it's really only a short hop to curries of all kinds, you can just say "well you DO like curry remember that soup I made? well then try this too!" Works every time!



Peace and Love--




 

Just Another Meatless Monday Lacto Fermented Piccalilli

Piccalilli is a great way to use up all the little bits and pieces of produce you have leftover from your canning season. Or a great way to clean out your crisper drawer in the fridge. It's basically a relish made from any produce you have on hand, leftover or not. You can make a lot or a little depending on what you have left and what you need to use now. I don't recommend using produce that is past its prime but certainly feel free to add anything you have that has to go. My recipe included two turnips, a zucchini, 2 ears of corn, a carrot and a green pepper. I think a jalapeño would have really kicked up the spice but then our little boys wouldn't be adding it to everything they are eating at the moment.

Why lacto fermentation? So many good answers here and here. The most recent bit I have heard read about lacto fermented foods is that they help to break down uric acid found in meat and can keep you from getting gout. I most likely will never have gout, as long as I keep up the fantastic fermentation bubbling away over here.


Making pickles without vinegar is super easy and laid back. No boiling, no canning, no "DID IT SEAL?" just mix, cover and put away for a week.

Lacto Fermented Piccalilli
4 cups chopped vegetables--use what you have or any combination of vegetables like--zucchini, peppers, turnips, corn, cabbage, green tomatoes, carrots
1 TBSP pickling salt
1 fastidiously clean quart jar and lid
fastidiously wooden spoon that will fit in the jar

make sure your chopped vegetables are cut to your liking--I don't mind a bit bigger chop in relish, if you like it finely chopped go for it
layer in a 1/4 or your chopped vegetables sprinkle with a bit of the salt
use the handle of the wooden spoon and pound the vegetables for about a minute
repeat until the vegetables are all in the jar
the vegetables should all be at least one inch from the top of the jar, probably more, and starting to get juicy
cover tightly and cover with a towel and put away
check it after 2-3 days and make sure the juice is covering the top of the vegetables
if it is not you can mix up a small bit of salt water 1 teaspoon to a cup of water and pour over the vegetables
replace the lid and cover and keep on the counter for a total of one week
opening at least once more to 'burp' the jar
then put in the fridge and use as desired as a condiment to meats, on hot stew or a hamburger

  Peace and Love--


 

The Penny Worthy Project--{giveaway too}

Gearing up for a big reselling season and I've been clearing out and reorganizing my studio. Funny the things you find tucked in here and there liek these adorable post cards.

I bought these last year around mid spring and stashed them. They literally fell into my lap when I was attempting to get organized this week. I have so much stuff to sell I really need to get a good system set up.

 I'm also going to be sharing a booth at a few craft shows this winter so NOW IS THE TIME for me to be super organized. My part of the booth will be paper window stars and our one of kind hand made gnomes.

Each gnome is completely different than ever other gnome and are completely hand made by husband and myself. If you happen to be interested in purchasing one we are working on some now and are willing to take special orders with a deposit now and full payment on completion. We will accept paypal. Send me an email and we can talk.

 Ogghhh and my radio show starts this week so again SUPER SUPER organized is what I need to be. I will keep you all updated on the first broadcast, dates and times and such. And if you want to hear something discussed or have a good idea for a show drop me an email. the theme of my show will be local eats in the Matanuska Susitna Valley, discussing food, food politics, preservation, CSAs and food storage. So much to talk about!


 I shopped a wee bit this week and of course the organizing made me NOT want to buy anything and super picky about what I brought home. I did find two RevereWare pans in two separate shops this week. Once I find a few more I will be listing them as a lot on ebay, they sell well.

I also grabbed a few more easy readers, trying like mad to encourage and hold on to a fledgling reader. Which is weird because his dad and I are voracious readers.

If you would like to win 3 of the Vintage Halloween Reproduction postcards leave me a comment! Each post card is completely different from all the others and they all feature reproductions of old paintings. Everyone is adorable and the perfect way to say BOO this Halloween. So drop a comment and Good Luck!



  Peace and Love--




 

Daring Greatly by Brene Brown BlogHer Book Club

I'm not into guilt trip books, I have enough things to feel crappy about thankyouverymuch. Daring Greatly is NOT a guilt inducing book, it is an encouraging anthem to get out and live your life! The author, Brene Brown, does a very good job of mixing "hey stop doing THIS" with "hey maybe try THIS instead" without all the guilt that comes along with many self help books.

I hesitate to put Daring Greatly into the self help genre but since there is no LIVE THE AWESOME genre in to self help it goes. Brene Brown has an uncanny way of including herself in the "don't do THIS" parts of the book and it works wonderfully, it keeps her real. If I had to find a fault with the book I'd say that all the new terms she has come up with need a glossary so the reader can refer back to them. It's almost impossible to remember them all and get my kids to school on time, remember the dogs name and what street I live on. That one small fact is not a supreme detractor from all the good this book will do if you sit down and read it. The message rings true, dare greatly, be vulnerable and be you. I am, Brene, I am.


 This is a paid review for the BlogHer Book Club. The opinion is entirely my own, I'm a no bullshit kinda girl. If you want to join the discussion check out the BlogHer Book Club.




Peace and Love--


 

Honey Report

Somehow I've come along for the last two weeks without giving you a honey report. I've been busy putting up food for the last two weeks, almost too busy. Likewise my bees were busy filling up their hive with honey all summer long. I like to believe we are kindred spirits, except they try to sting me while I steal their honey, so perhaps not.

 I knew as a first time bee keeper my chances of getting any honey were slim to none. The bees spend a lot of time and effort building up honey comb in the frames to put honey in to. The good news is I can use the frames built up with comb next year and save my bees a LOT of work and they can get down to the part about making flower nectar into honey.

I gathered my frames, not many because we lost the queen from one hive and never replaced her. Too late in the season to buy a new one but no honey made yet.

 I took them to our local contact with a honey extractor and got to work cutting the very tops of the combs off.

Then the frames went into the extractor and were spun for a bit.

Next it was emptied into a jar and then we filled up a food grade bucket.

My total for extraction was almost 2 gallons, 22 pounds! My friend Kelly who extracted my honey for me and held my hand all summer said my honey was GRADE A the best kind, light and very sweet. I'll take that!

We've been enjoying our honey for a week or two now. Pears with honey and walnuts and a soy and honey marinade for steaks. The best hands down all the way around though is a fresh biscuit, fresh butter and a drizzle of honey. I just discovered this bit of joy and I am reveling in it. I have my honey put away and don't worry about the bees. They have two HUGE boxes left full of honey from our plants and flowering trees to get through the winter. They are set and we are set, symbiosis in action.



I linked this post to


 



Peace and Love--


 

Just Another Meatless Monday Nasturtium Capers

Get yourself out to the garden right now before all your nasturtiums are frosted and disgusting. You only need a half cup of seedpods to make a batch Nasturtium Capers. It might be too late for many of you living in Alaska but if you look hard enough you could still find some good seedpods. I found some under the frosted tops of the plants.

These are not truly capers, only brined and pickled like capers, something fun (and delicious!) to do with plants you may be ready to yank out of the ground. Nasturtiums are so great for eating anyway, so spicy and peppery, a great addition to salads and greens all summer long. But why not try for just one more use, you can do it! And these funky little capers can help you.


Nasturtium Capers-recipe originally from the Splendid Table

1/2 cup nasturtium seedpods
1 cup boiling water
2 TBSP pickling salt
3/4 apple cider vinegar
1 bay leaf
good pinch of dried thyme

pick over the nasturtium buds, break them apart they come in groups of three, break off the stems
mix the salt in to the boiling water and stir to incorporate
pour over the nasturtium seedpods
cover and keep in the fridge for 3 days
remove from the fridge and rinse in a colander
set to drain
rinse the jar and drain it too
meanwhile boil the vinegar
add the seedpods
and the herbs back to the jar and cover with the boiling vinegar
they need to set for 3 more days before being used but will keep up to 6 months covered in the fridge



Brine Solution

 Pickling Solution

Peace and Love--



 

The Penny Worthy Poject

My husband has been gone on all week, on vacation I think, after witnessing how wild and crazy my kids have been. I've enjoyed my time alone, my time one on one with our littlest boys but I sure will be glad to see him and wrap my arms around him again. When the kids were younger he'd come home from a business trip and I could hardly stay home, I needed to escape. These days, with kids in school and our oldest one in his OWN apartment, I'm just glad to have someone around to talk to in the evening, no need to escape. My days are full though and for the last week I have been scrambling to get things harvested, canned, preserved and put up. WHEW. Think I might be caught up but I still have to put all the gardens to bed and do prep work for next year.

Before my husband left he was finishing up a vest he made for himself, yes he sews and it is sexy as hell, and he figured out how to make buttons. Not one to miss out on the opportunity to document the cool, I grabbed my camera and caught the action. Please go check out his method it is super cool and makes buttons for about a penny. But remember you can't sell them that would be illegal!

Of course I treated myself to a couple thrift stops this week, gotta have a break from the work once in while, right?

I found what may be the worlds biggest Liz Claiborne bag--this thing is HUGE. And I love it. I snatched it up and low and behold it was half off, I paid a WHOPPING 75 cents for it. See those spots?? Well the bag is so awesome you can use a wash cloth to wipe it down and now they are gone. Also? It's from 1983.

While I was at it I found this adorable little wallet by Relic, super cute and just what I was looking for. 1 dollar! Only problem is it's SO small and the bag is so big will I ever find it?? I may need a buffering purse to fill in the space.

I grabbed a handful of Mother Earth News FOR FREE. Yes yes you're right I WAS ON IT THIS WEEK.

I bought the coolest thing off my Facebook Yardsale Group, it's called The Cannery. Basically you can can make jelly on the stove and then pop 4 jars in this thing and it will do the boiling water bath for you. No HUGE pot of boiling water, just this, and your stove is not consumed but the huge pot of water. I have gotten using it down to a science, I can whip out 4 jars of jelly in about 20 minutes and start the next batch and just keep rolling on. It's been great! Here it is working hard alongside the rice cooker and the dehydrator.

And finally not something I see in MY house very often, precious moments. Ok well we have precious moments, I guess I MEANT Precious Moments™! An entire BOOK yes a BOOK of t-shirt transfers, I'm not even sure HOW to sell these. Thoughts?

 Peace and Love--


 

Make Your Own Buttons

Making your own buttons is a really interesting way to customize your homemade garments or store-bought for that matter. My husband, ever the maker and aspiring Victorian gentleman, recently made himself a vest. The vest took weeks of careful sewing and of course vicious wadding up and throwing down in disgust. The final project is very nice to look at, especially when you can't see all the blood and sweat that went into it but the crowing glory are his buttons. I took photos of his process and thought I'd share.


The buttons are relatively easy to make and use simple household tools, mostly simple household tools. Our boys 7 and 8 are certainly enthralled with the button making process and have turned out quite a few buttons. Any buttons that get mangled along the way turn into pirate money, which in our house is worth MORE than the actual penny.

Supplies: old pennies or dimes
chunk of 4X4 post big enough to whack around and not break it
ball peen hammer
punch, to make the holes
regular hammer

First you need to make the holes for sewing it on, so use the the regular hammer and punch and make the holes

Go through both sides so the holes are both cleanly punched

Set the button aside and use the ball peen hammer to make a nice dent in your post--one good whack is all you need and it has to be fairly hearty!

Lay the button over the nice big dent, put the ball peen on top of it and use the other hammer to WHACK it--again you get but one shot, make it count

Voila--button is finished!

FUN! You should be aware that making these to sell would be very illegal. Making a few to wear is along the lines of the penny smashing machines in tourist areas, making them to make a profit will certainly get you in trouble. Consider yourself forewarned!



Peace and Love--