Just Another Meatless Monday Homemade Sriracha

This little recipe did double duty as a Christmas present this year. My husband LOVES Sriracha sauce and I thought I'd dabble in the world of homemade hot sauce for a brief moment. I might actually be staying there though because it was EASY to make and I can make it with things made or grown on our property(except salt!). As an added bonus it was hot, flavorful, full bodied and gorgeous and a complete surprise for my husband.


 Homemade Sriracha
3/4 quarters of a pound of red jalapeños
2-3 habaneros
6 cloves of garlic
1 cup of vinegar
3 TBSP honey
1 teaspoon of salt

cut the peppers and remove some of the seeds
chop coarsely and put them in a jar
smash the garlic, peel it and add it to the jar
stir the vinegar and honey together and pour over the peppers
add the salt and stir to combine
cover with saran wrap and let it rest over night
in the morning pour the whole thing in to a sauce pan
bring to a boil over medium heat
reduce and simmer for 10-15 minutes
then cool completely
once cooled whirl in a food processor for 4-5 minutes or until smooth
at this point you can put it through a strainer and get rid of any chunks
or put it in a jar and store in the fridge

later batch that was strained

Wow that's an incredibly terrible picture. We're having a typhoon? Or a cyclone. Or whatever it is some big nasty storm that has melted all our snow and brought big winds. This is the lightest it got all day.

It's worth noting that I found there to be very little worth straining out and a big waste of sauce.
Next time I will not try to strain it but simply put it in the fridge straight away. When the peppers were soaking in vinegar overnight I put it in the fridge to hide it but you can leave it on the counter, it won't hurt it.

If you have a hot sauce devotee in your life this makes wonderful present. It fits the best present guidelines perfectly; no dusting--consumable--homemade--thrifty! You can certainly switch up the peppers too. Make it with what you have on hand or what's easily available to you. I bet in a pinch you could use dried peppers too, if you soaked them before hand. I know I'm going to make myself a less hot version too, I like hot but this recipe blew my doors off.








Peace and Love--









 

The Penny Worthy Project

Wow our Christmas was pretty great. FANTASTIC AND AWESOME are also apt and descriptive words you could use to describe it. But let me tell you it is a LOT easier to throw money at Christmas presents than it is to dream up, plan, execute, FINISH (I struggled here) and give them. Every night for weeks, years practically I was a slave to projects needing attention and finishing. It nearly killed me, perhaps a wee tad of exaggeration there, but it was harder than I thought.

And we gave so many fewer presents this year. I can't imagine making and giving as many presents as we did in the past. Yikes. I literally would never be done. It does help when trying to cut back on gifts to MAKE a lot of them, it's limiting.


 Our kids each got ONE toy from us. One got a hot wheels track and the other got a beyblades fighting tops set. Not one complaint from either of them and they are STILL playing happily with them. In the past so many things were given it was always a battle to make them go play as if so many muddled their brains. One though? ONE IS THE BOMB and we will play with them for hours. Don't get me wrong though they got plenty of things to open.

They got build your own tool boxes from dad.

One got a handmade kit to hold crochet hooks-designed and made by me.

The other one got a blanket, pillow case and curtian set in matching fabric with old airplanes on it. I got some sheets free from a friend and upcycled them to create the set for our littlest boy who loves airplanes. They were a HIT.

I also made him a soft fuzzy neck warmer to slip around and fill the gaps of his coat and keep him warm.

New dragons for gnomes showed up courtesy of my friend Regin--they landed on the tree!

Each extended family member got a wooden tool box kit OR a wooden garden hod kit (harvest box with screen bottom) and the promise of help making them in the future if needed. My husband was the creator of those and they were AWESOME presents.




I worked hard for weeks on end on this crewel kit for my husband, he has a treadle sewing machine and it looks a lot like this. It was a LOT of work and I didn't finish it. I have been working on it since Christmas and it is almsot done and a wrinkled mess.

This is the direction page--whew!

The little boys and I made their dad a

quiver to hold his arrows. We hand sewed the leather and designed it ourselves.

I also gave my husband TWO growlers of local beer and bag from the brewery.

Family currently in Arizona got Christmas in a Box--cookies, candy canes, candles and some Alaska books.

I myself got a garden hod kit and a tool box kit, a necklace made by my youngest son. A vintage toaster and vintage phone both which need work and the promise to fix them. I got a tart pan from my mother in law and my sister made me beautiful wreath for our door.

Since we were taking presents off the center stage I decided to create a gingerbread house to decorate on Christmas day. Then having said that I had to MAKE it happen. I didn't want to buy one of those premade things, they're all right but not great. So I spent a day making this beast

and we spent Christmas Day decorating it.

It turned out really great. I doubled the batch of dough from Coleens blog , I did NOT use her dimensions and used whole wheat flour to make it super strong. I also glued it together with hot glue. I WILL NEVER GO BACK TO TRYING TO CREATE WITH ROYAL ICING. Hot glue is the bomb!


I feel like I barely scratched the surface of the things we made--each boy made each other a present. I made all three boys homemade pajamas. And for teachers we gave potted bulbs to grow in the classroom. Lots of NON dusting gifts came from us.


How was you thrifty hunting this week? Share a link! Show us what you care to spend time on or your pennies on.
Also trying a new paging link up--tell me what you think eh?

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Peace and Love--




 

time now

Spending time with kids, reading and playing with Christmas presents and trying to avoid the bickering that is inherent in two boys so close in age. I have a HUGE post planned for The Penny Worthy Project all about our thrifted/upcycled/useful present mandate and what that actually looked like. (hint-it was awesome!)   So come back and see all the thrifty goodness.



Peace and Love--

Last Hours to Win a KitchenAid

Here it is! The very last hours to enter to win a KitchenAid Stand Mixer. Yep and your chances are pretty good. If you haven't entered well it's really easy to do. Just click follow this blog, leave a comment and then share the contest some where. Cut and past the link to Facebook. Or pin it on Pinterest. Or tweet it on twitter. Not too hard. Ok I'm off to sew pajamas and finish up presents for people who in school. Good Luck.


Peace and Love--


 

Fekkai for Last Minute Presents!

Just so you know!


 Looking for a great last minute present?? Something that will definitely be useful, helpful and you won't have to dust (WOOT!)?  Because that's what I'm all about in the present giving area, especially this year. Why not give someone you love wonderfully delicious hair? Check out Fekkai hair care products. When you spend 50 dollars you'll get ten percent off your total order and a FREE headband(while supplies last). You'll need to use the special promo code HEADBAND and bang, free stuff! Looking at my cold (-22 degrees this morning) ravaged hair I know I definitely NEED something to help my hair.




Peace and Love--



 

Just Another Meatless Monday French Onion and Mushroom Soup

It's been CHILLY around here lately. It was cold, then it warmed up and finally snowed and now back to 15 below. Brrrrr. When it's cold you need warm, hot, melty goodness to warm the very soul. Or at least I do. I was casting about thinking of dinner the other night and the miserable cold and I wanted French Onion Soup yet we didn't have cheese, bread or good grief even onions. I immediately put all of those ingredients on my shopping list. Finally, last night was the night.


I decided to add a bunch of mushrooms to the soup to bulk it up a little bit, round it out a bit. I used 3 baby bellas, about palm size, a good cup of creminis and a some dried porcinis I ground up. WOW. I will never make it any other way again. The mushrooms were tender, meaty delicious and made for a broth so delicious it didn't need any added beef broth.

Recipe note--grind the dried porcinis in a coffee grinder that's been well wiped out or buy porcini powder-Thanks to my good friend Stephanie who turned me on to porcini powder-tum


French Onion and Mushroom Soup


1/4 cup butter 2 large onions 3 medium baby bella mushrooms--about a 1/4 pound--cleaned and sliced thinly 1/2 pound creminis--cleaned and chopped 2 TBSP flour 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg 2 quarts water 4-6 slices of dried porcini mushrooms--ground to powder or about 1 TBSP of porcini powder 1 TBSP salt 1/4 cup cold coffee 4 ounces beer--optional add water instead loaf of french bread 6-8 slices of swiss cheese, or about a quarter pound shredded melt the butter over medium low heat in a large heavy bottom dutch oven clean onions and slice in half from top to bottom then lay cut side on cutting board and cut top to bottom when the butter is melted add the onions and stir to coat let slowly cook over medium low heat until they are soft, succulent and deliciously caramelized don't let them burn or scorch before they are completely caramelized add the fresh mushrooms and stir to incorporate continue cooking another five minutes or so sprinkle the flour and nutmeg over the onions and mushrooms  cook and stir for a few minutes slowly whisk in the water, coffee and beer then whisk in the salt and porcini powder bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes or so meanwhile get 4-6 heat proof bowls ready on a baking sheet  cut as many slices of bread as you need preheat the broiler when the soup is done taste for salt and add as needed then ladle it into the bowls lay a slice or two of bread on top divide the cheese evenly between the bowls covering the bread broil for 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly serve with extra bread  more than likely you'll have a bit of soup left, we simply ate it with the extra bread

Yes yes yes. French onion soup definitely benefits from a healthy dose of mushrooms. I'm never going back to a version without it. Why don't you share a meatless recipe?? If you do you'll earn ANOTHER entry into my KitchenAid Mixer giveaway!

Did you know that white mushrooms, cremini mushrooms, baby bellas and portabellos are all the same kind mushrooms?? Well they are, each one has just been left to grow a bit longer and they get a meatier texture with age.






  Peace and Love--


 

The Penny Worthy Project

Don't miss out on the KitchenAid Mixer I'm giving away! Go leave a comment if you haven't already entered and if you have well then link up a thrifty living link to get one more entry. Giveaway ends next Wednesday and I'll announce the winner next Friday. WOW making and thrifting a lot of your presents is NOT easy work. It would be easier to throw a BUNCH of money around and buy fabulous things. Except I'm not going to. We can totally afford it money wise, that's not the problem. My SOUL can't take giving people I love crappy overpriced cheap stuff I bought to show them I love them. I have bought a FEW new and useful things for my husband and for the family too but for the MOST part all thrifted or made. And each boy is getting one new toy from us. After Christmas I can show off the things we've made and the thrifted goodies and such. If you're looking for goodies you can make in your kitchen well you're in luck, Coleen has been posting gifts you can make over on her site. The cashews look really yummy. I wonder what she'll have next? I'm starting the holiday baking and cooking tonight and I'll be kicking it off with some Pumpkin Rolls. I like to keep them on hand, they are excellent to make ahead and keep in the freezer. If you have unexpected guests drop in, a few slices of pumpkin roll can be easily cut off and served while the rest of the roll goes back in the freezer. Or your mouth.  I had to go to the city this week and had about 25 minutes to spare before driving home to grab my boys from school. I WHIPPED into the nearest Salvation Army, which I have been all but avoiding for a good year or two, and boy was I pleasantly surprised. I found this beautiful Berggren Set, vintage Swedish Folk Art! and it made my heart pound. I bought all I could find. 

Now I'll tell you why I've been avoiding the Salvation Army. A year or two ago I noticed a shift in their store look it was cleaner and the shelves were bare. I mean BARE nothing on them, nothing to look through, nothing to buy, kind of hard to shop there if it's empty. I went back every time I made the trip to town and each time it was just empty with the bare minimum out for sale, we are talking one or two plates and some coffee cups. Occasionally I would see PILE of unsold merchandise from Target but for the most part nothing. The other day as I was shopping I heard the cashier tell someone that the "warehouse" had under gone a "change". So I asked her what that meant, she said well our donations went down and I gave her the stink eye, and she corrected and a "little" bit anyway. But she kept saying the "warehouse" was going to be run differently now and "it would be like this now" to which I replied "HUZZAH! Keep it up!: I promptly drove to another one on the way home and sadly it didn't live through the mess of whatever the Salvation Army was trying to pull off and it was closed. I found an article that stated again their donations were down and they shut the store down, I just don't think that was the reason it failed, it was an internal error in their resell calculations. I found some jeans that fit for a few bucks at another thrift store. Washed and they fit perfectly! 

I also found this ADORABLE vintage rocking horse ornament. 

When it rocks Santa and his reindeer rock too. I love it. 

Link up and enter to win a KitchenAid, leave your comment on the KitchenAid post.

Peace and Love--

 

Just Another KitchenAid Mixer Giveaway + Olive and Feta Bread

HEY!! KitchenAid mixer giveaway?? Wasn't I the one who was writing about giving less? Why yes, yes I was. I still completely stand behind every word I wrote. I think a KitchenAid is one of the MOST handy and USEFUL kitchen items a person can own. You can make homemade frosting 100 times better than that crap you get in the store, bread making is a breeze when the mixer is involved, pasta is as easy as anything too and I've heard but not tried (yet) that it is the WAY to shred well cooked meat. Useful. Moneysaving. Homemade food easier. It is a great gift. So I thought I would share the usefulness this FOURTH blogoversary AGAIN and give away another KitchenAid mixer. Directions for entering will be at the bottom of the post.

Olive and Feta Bread
makes one braided loaf

1 TBSP yeast--I like SAF-super easy never fails--use what you have
1 teaspoon sugar
1 1/2 cups warm water
1 tsp salt
2 TBSP olive oil+a bit more for oiling the bowl
4-6 cups flour divided
filling--
1 TBSP olive oil
3/4 cup of feta crumbles
1 cup green olives with pimentos
2 TBSP toasted pine nuts--toast them in a dry frying pan

put the yeast, sugar and water in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a bread hook
mix to combine and let it rest for 10 minutes
add the salt and oil
then add the flour by half cups until the the dough climbs the dough hook and falls back on itself
add a bit more oil to the bowl just to grease the dough and bowl for rising
remove the dough hook
cover with a clean warm wet dish towel
let rise until doubled and then punch down
preheat the oven to 400˚
pat the dough out into a large rectangle on a greased baking sheet or a baking stone
brush the top with olive oil
spread the feta on the middle third of the bread
top with olives and pine nuts
cut the outer thirds of the dough into strips the same amount on each side
beginning at the edge farthest from you fold the top strip over to the opposite side
press to seal in-when you do the don't go straight across aim for positioning that strip about an inch down so you'll end up with a pretty braided bread
alternate folding strips over until you get to the bottom and then kind of fold the last strips and tuck them in
place on the preheating stove cover with greased saran wrap and let rise for 10-15 minutes
then pop in the oven and bake for 35-40 minutes depending on how tight you braided it
once it hits 35 minutes cut in to the thick part of the bread and see how it's baking up
if its done and not doughy then pull it out if it needs more time check every five minutes until it's done

I made the Olive and Feta Bread for a dinner on the run the other night. I think serving it as a stand alone meal option is fine but I also think serving it WITH a good salad and some good beer would be awfully good too. Everyone loved it and it was gone too quickly. Guess I need to make another batch, darn.

To enter to win the 5 quart Tilt Head KitchenAid Mixer in your choice of color you must

1. be a follower-yes I will check--
2. share the contest information (a link to this blog post) on your preferred form of social media-facebook-pinterest-twitter-google plus 
3. leave a comment on this blog post letting me know you what you'll be whipping up IF you win

ALL three need to be done in order to be entered. You can get an additional entry for

1. linking up to THIS Just Another Meatless Monday with the Feta and Olive Bread
2. linking up to next weeks Just Another Meatless Monday post
3. linking up to The Penny Worthy Project
4. writing a blog post about the giveaway

The dirty details-contest good only for residents of the US.  Contest ends December 19 at noon. That's it, no legal disclaimer needed.












  Peace and Love--




 

Curried Chicken and Barley

The original recipe for this dish entered my repertoire oh about 6 years ago or so. For a long time my kids would not eat it WITH chicken. So I quit pushing the chicken and made it as a side dish only, for a few years. I decided to make it with chicken again and see what they thought. Well now they love it with chicken, kids are funny. This is a one pot meal, you can start it and walk away from it. It will cook happily on the stove with minimal stirring. I love that in a good recipe.

We're in a bit of a cold snap right now and we don't have any snow! Some locations hit 20 below in the last day or two. Or house has settled in at around 7-10 below zero. Curried Chicken and Barley certainly hits the spot when the weather is so bitterly cold.

Curried Chicken and Barley

2 TBSP cooking oil
6-8 skinless chicken thighs
1 tsp salt
1 tsp. cumin powder
1 tsp curry powder
2 1/2 cups water
1 16 oz can of diced tomatoes
2 TBSP tomato paste
1 1/2 cups pearled barley rinsed
2 carrots chopped
3 stalks of celery chopped
1 green pepper chopped
1/ 2 onion chopped

heat the oil over medium heat in a dutch oven
add the chicken thighs and sprinkle on the salt, cumin and curry powder
brown quickly
add the water and bring it to a boil
add the tomatoes and tomato paste, stir to incorporate
return to a boil then add the barley and remaining ingredients
reduce heat, cover and simmer gently for 40-45 minutes

stir every 10 15 minutes or so
serve with a dollop of sour cream or good yogurt

YUM

Of course if your kids are anti chicken try it with out it. And if your crisper is lacking in the vegetable department make it with what you have on hand. I've made it with only peppers and mushrooms or just carrots and celery, it all tastes good.





Peace and Love--

St. Nicholas Eve

rooms are cleaned

boys to bed 

shoes put by with 

straw and apple 

 breathless anticipation

 for St Nicholas to come this way

 deep hope Black Peter 

 leaves you alone

sleep little ones

wake to find

chocolate or coins

or worse the stick

 hoot holler

 make some noise 

Black Peter passed you by

safe another year

Piccola 

By Celia Laighton Thaxter

Poor, sweet Piccola! Did you hear 

What happened to Piccola, children dear? 

'Tis seldom Fortune such favor grants 

As fell to this little maid of France.

'Twas Christmas time, and her parents poor 

Could hardly drive the wolf from the door, 

Striving with poverty's patient pain 

Only to live till summer again.

No gifts for Piccola! Sad were they 

When dawned the morning of Christmas Day! 

Their little darling no joy might stir; 

St. Nicholas nothing would bring to her!

But Piccola never doubted at all 

That something beautiful must befall 

Every child upon Christmas Day, 

And so she slept till the dawn was gray.

And, full of faith, when at last she woke, 

She stole to her shoe as the morning broke; 

Such sounds of gladness filled all the air, 

'Twas plain St. Nicholas had been there.

In rushed Piccola sweet, half wild— 

Never was seen such a joyful child— 

"See what the good saint brought!" she cried, 

And mother and father must peep inside.

Now such a story I never heard! 

There was a little shivering bird!

A sparrow, that in at the window flew, 

Had crept into Piccola's tiny shoe!

"How good Piccola must have been!" 

She cried as happy as any queen, 

While the starving sparrow she fed and warmed, 

And danced with rapture, she was so charmed.

Children, this story I tell to you 

Of Piccola sweet and her bird, is true. 

In the far-off land of France, they say, 

Still do they live to this very day.

Peace and Love--




 

Just Another Meatless Monday Two Cheese Quiche

There's been a lot of quiche in my life the past 3 weeks. First I was inspired by Frugal in Cornwall to make several and freeze the leftovers for lunches. That was a fail, the two I made were consumed in about 10 minutes by 5 hungry people. So then I doubled that and made four, we ate quiche and I froze big wedges for lunches. And promptly forgot about them. Then my local friend Kelly went quiche crazy, which tipped off a Facebook food group into a quiche frenzy which then set me off again.

I made two cheese and swiss chard quiches today but only served one and froze the other for lunches. That's how you actually have food left for lunches, you just don't serve it at all, you freeze it before the starving hoards see it. Now I have lots of quiche put up for my husbands lunches for the next two weeks. I won't send it with the kids as they have no way to reheat it at school. That's ok they're just as happy to eat peanut butter crackers of leftover soup for lunch.

Make your pie crust ahead of time so this is quick and easy to throw together

Two Cheese and Swiss Chard Quiche--makes two

1 recipe best pie crust ever or use the food processor recipe for super easy crust make this ahead of time and keep cool in the fridge
1 market bundle swiss chard--mine had 5 huge stalks in it for reference
10 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
1 TBSP flour
2 cups shredded cheddar or swiss
1 cup feta crumbles
1 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt--the feta is pretty salty


preheat the oven to 400˚
roll out the pie dough and fit each one in to a pie pan, return to the fridge to keep cold
pull the center stems out of the swiss chard
chop the leaves into small pieces roughly 1 inch by 1 inch
heat a 1/4 cup of water in a 10 inch skillet over medium heat
add the swiss chard and cook until wilted, add more water if needed, you only want to wilt not brown it
remove from the heat and set aside
in a large bowl break the eggs and whisk in the milk
toss the cheeses with the flour and add to the eggs
stir in wilted greens and salt and pepper
bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes on 400˚ then reduce heat and bake another 20 minutes or until the pies are done and they are not runny
remove from the oven and let rest 5 minute before serving

Sorry about the picture, this time of year when we get sun we get SUN and it is full bore bright, very low in the sky, then ducking behind the mountains again. My photos will suffer because of it, ah well it could be worse.





Peace and Love--


 

The Penny Worthy Project

Well that wonderful week between Thanksgiving and the beginning of the Christmas season has come and gone. I love this week, it's like a bit of suspended animation, everyone is just on the verge of rolling out decorations, parties, Christmas cards and present wrapping. I usually like to spend the week getting projects finished and the house cleaned so we can decorate. This year I spent the week being a mom of sick children. We ran the gamut of the yuck and because we all know what that means I will not go in to detail. One night mid week I got a little jumpy and I needed to escape the barf bowls and thermometers so I ran off. Luckily I discovered that one local thrift store is open until 7 and it was empty! I spent an hour just roaming the aisles and being blissfully alone.

I found these great salt and pepper shakers by Catalina. Pretty mod eh?

And look at this tart pan! I love the color.

I am so making this into a clock.

 Love the wear on the back side too, it's been around.

Lots of great link ups last week--Wendy brought us a post about finding a bunch of costume jewelry at a yard sale. That doesn't happen where I live, the market is small and everyone is a "picker" these days, she got really lucky in my opinion. Foy brought us her Year End Recap of a Plan to Preserve, did you see how much food she put by? Lamberts Lately linked up Frittata Cups and a Stocking Stuffers for Baby list that is out of this world. Van of course brought the fun with her Windfall of Toys post, so much fun(plus I love Yuko!!). Ally Jo brought her LOVE of Ironstone to which I replied "will you please write a post about Ironstone", because I am CLUELESS. Women in Real Life linked up her vintage (cough cough!!) Christmas Stamps, love those stamps!! Reneesance had a great post about all the Fabric her mom gave her, lots of beautiful old fabric. And finally Amy and Angie shared a Hiding on Black Friday post with all their vintage finds, awesome fur stole!

How are YOU living the Penny Worthy Project lifestyle?? I'd love to see posts linked up to budgeting, thrifting, ebay sellers, etsy stores, recycling, upcycling, making a life doing what you love and basically anything that makes you heart sing!!




  Peace and Love--