You are here: Home / 2011 / Archives for March 2011

Raised Bed Gardening & 75 Free Organic Seeds

March 31, 2011

Have you begun your vegetable garden yet?  Amy at Homestead Revival shared a helpful post today detailing her raised bed vegetable garden that you might enjoy reading.

Also, Seeds of Change is giving away 100 million seeds right now - you can sign up for 75 organic seed packets and pay only $4.99 shipping!

Did you save any seeds from last year's harvest?

Warmly,

post signature

P.S. If you haven't popped over and "Liked" our new Facebook page, please do! I'm sharing a few things over there that don't make it into the blog :)

If you enjoyed this post, subscribe to Like a Bubbling Brook email updates - it's free and delivers new posts about faith, homemaking, and real foods right to your inbox.

NEW! Join in the LABB community via our Facebook page. | NEW! Now you can also join us on Twitter.

*hat tip to Little House Living for sharing the Seeds of Change info!

Filed Under: Frugal Living Leave a Comment

Chicken Piccata: A Simple & Flavorful Italian Meal

March 30, 2011
Chicken Piccata
Chicken Piccata

My Chicken Piccata

Here's a simple, yet elegant supper that's easy on the budget, too.  The capers can be a bit pricey, but if you consider that one small jar of capers will last you about three or four meals, they're actually cost-effective and a unique touch to the meal.  If your supermarket carries more than one size of capers, I would opt for the smaller size. 

Here's what you'll need: 

1 cup all-purpose flour 

1 teaspoon salt 

1/2 teaspoon pepper 

4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (choose thinner breasts; if they are thick, you'll want to slice them in half horizontally) 

3 tablespoons olive oil 

3 tablespoons butter 

1/2 cup white wine (optional) 

1 3/4 cups chicken broth -or- 1 cup thick homemade chicken stock mixed with 3/4 cup water 

2 tablespoons lemon juice 

2-3 tablespoons capers 

chopped, dried parsley 

Here's what to do: 

In a small bowl, mix the salt and pepper, then sprinkle over chicken pieces. 

Add flour to the small bowl, and dredge each chicken breast in the flour.  Coat well. 

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil and butter over medium-high heat.  When hot, add the chicken pieces.  Saute until golden brown, turning as necessary. 

Remove the chicken pieces into a glass baking dish; set aside and keep warm. 

Add two tablespoons of the flour back into the skillet and cook for a few seconds.  Add the wine (if you are using it) and cook about 30 seconds, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. 

Add the chicken broth and lemon juice.  Bring to a simmer for about three minutes, stirring occasionally, until sauce is slightly thickened. 

Add chicken back to pan.  Sprinkle with capers and parsley.  Simmer gently, cover, and heat through for about five minutes. 

Serves well over buttered pasta.

Warmly,

post signature

P.S. If you haven't popped over and "Liked" our new Facebook page, please do! I'm sharing a few things over there that don't make it into the blog :)

If you enjoyed this post, subscribe to Like a Bubbling Brook email updates - it's free and delivers new posts about faith, homemaking, and real foods right to your inbox.

NEW! Join in the LABB community via our Facebook page. | NEW! Now you can also join us on Twitter. 

*shared at Summertime Company Meals, Thrifty Thursday, Pennywise Platter and Simple Lives Thursday

Filed Under: Frugal Living, Recipes 7 Comments

The Season to Simplify & Prepare the Soil, Part One

March 28, 2011
plant

 

Beat down. Hoed under. Life digging at you, getting under your skin. Pulled in too many directions.  Always needing to measure up.

Have you ever felt that way?

Lately I’ve been pondering Matthew 13, the parable of the sower.  Oh, that my own heart would be the good soil that He spoke of, and that my life would produce that same abundant fruit!

Somehow, though, my life seems messy. Things can get downright dirty. I sometimes fall. Struggling, I get up, brush myself off, and try again. And again. And yet again.

Then I am reminded that my own righteousness is like filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6); that I can’t do this on my own.

To get good soil, the Gardener will pull weeds and chop down thorny areas, but He must also add compost and manure and allow worms and bees. To the casual observer, these things may seem like mere hindrances, like things that could be easily sidestepped, but the Gardener knows their necessity. It’s part of His process of transforming, molding, shaping.

It’s uncomfortable for me. Dying to self is not easy. Lord, not my will, but yours.

And then I remember verse 22, the verse that often convicts me and pierces my heart: “He that also received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.”

Can you live a holy, transformed, fruitful life among those thorns, among fleshly desires for more worldly goods, for increased wealth, for “just a little more”?

(to be continued...)

Warmly,

post signature

P.S. If you haven't popped over and "Liked" our new Facebook page, please do! I'm sharing a few things over there that don't make it into the blog :)

If you enjoyed this post, subscribe to Like a Bubbling Brook email updates - it's free and delivers new posts about faith, homemaking, and real foods right to your inbox.

Follow along on Facebook. | NEW! Now you can also join us on Twitter. | NEW! Join in the LABB community via our Facebook page.

*also shared at the Homestead Barn Hop and Monday Mania

Filed Under: Biblical Womanhood, Budgeting & Frugal Living, Contentment, Frugal Living Leave a Comment

Children’s Books We’ve Enjoyed

March 24, 2011

 

I'm thinking ahead to summer, beginning to make reading plans and daydreaming about warmer days. 

Homeschool lessons are tucked away in the summer, but I do make plans for increased reading and casual study.  

Last summer we read these wonderful books (and a few others - all but one are from our local library):

First, per the suggestion of a friend, we fell in love with The Squire and the Scroll: A Tale of the Rewards of a Pure Heart written by Jennie Bishop. It is a tale about the importance of guarding your heart from evil, and my oldest son was absolutely captivated by it. It is a Christian allegory of sorts, and I cannot recommend it highly enough.

If you have a child that's afraid of the dark or afraid at night, I encourage you to check out John Trent's book There's a Duck in My Closet!. It's a wonderful story of a boy who finds that various friendly animals come out of his closet to spend the night with him, each animal making the night more silly. We adore the ending of this book, when the boy wakes up in the morning and blames all those silly animals for messing up his hair something awful.

Next, we discovered the authors Ingri and Edgar Parin d'Aulaire. They are such gifted, talented writers! We have fallen in love with their rich stories and real accounts of history. These are wonderful "living books" for children! We've read through three of their books and are now beginning on our fourth.

The first of the d'Aulaire's books that we read was Leif the Lucky. It is the biography of Leif Erickson, who was an adventurous young Viking explorer, converted to Christianity, and first discovered North America. The story was interesting, and the illustrations beautiful. Very well done.

Next, we went on to read Columbus, which is the story of Christopher Columbus. I love what the Amazon Editorial Review has to say about this book, "The d'Aulaires traveled to Spain, Portugal, and the Caribbean Islands to research original documents on the life of Columbus. Their text reflects many little- known facts not generally included in the typical biographies of Columbus. Readers will learn that it was the saga of Leif Erickson that was one of the inspirations for Columbus's voyage to the East." Who knew that Leif the Lucky was the inspiration for Columbus making his famed journey?

Near the end of last summer, we finished Abraham Lincoln. It chronicles Lincoln's life from his childhood through his presidency, briefly touching on the Civil War as well. What I liked best about this book was the little tidbits shared and emphasis on his childhood that other authors may have overlooked. Many others have loved this book, too; it was awarded the 1940 Caldecott Medal.

We have really enjoyed these books; they are full of colorful illustrations and engaging stories, and the authors use rich, compelling language, which is a rarity in many children's books today.

As I begin making reading plans for this summer, I have to ask you - what books have you and your children enjoyed?  What do you suggest I add to our "must-read" list?

 

Warmly,

post signature

P.S.  If you haven't popped over and "Liked" our new Facebook page, please do!  I'm sharing a few things over there that don't make it into the blog :)

If you enjoyed this post, subscribe to Like a Bubbling Brook email updates - it's free and delivers new posts about faith, homemaking, and real foods right to your inbox.

Follow along on Facebook. | NEW! Now you can also join us on Twitter. | NEW! Join in the LABB community via our Facebook page.

*also shared at Simple Lives Thursday
A-Wise-Woman-Builds-Her-Home

Filed Under: Children's Books, Home Education 14 Comments

How to Make Creamy Homemade Yogurt

March 22, 2011
084

Many years ago, a sweet older Assyrian lady taught me how to make homemade yogurt using a slightly warm oven.    

I made yogurt using her method for quite some time, then life happened and I didn't make yogurt for a couple of years.  When I began making yogurt again, I seemed to have forgotten her method, and she wasn't around to call for help... I miss her terribly.

Last year I began researching yogurt makers, and when I discovered how reasonably priced they were, we purchased one.  I have been so happy with the results!  

To get started, I purchase a good, quality Greek yogurt from the supermarket, about six ounces in size.  Look for one that:

  • does not have added pectin or thickeners
  • is not nearing the expiration date
  • has many active, live cultures (I look for at least five)

In a large stainless steel pot, I warm a half gallon of whole milk (sometimes I add a bit of cream, too).  Once the milk is warmed, I turn up the heat a bit and bring it just to a simmer, then I remove the pot from the heat and let cool.

Since I don't have a thermometer for checking the temperature of my yogurt, I let it cool just to the point where I can leave my finger in for five seconds without too much pain.  Don't let it cool much more than that.

Next, I add in the one small container of Greek yogurt, and stir well to dissolve into the milk.

Then I use a soup ladle to pour the milk mixture into glass jars and set them into my yogurt maker.  Mine is the Yolife Yogurt Maker, and it comes with several small glass jars, but we like to use larger mason jars, too.

Just put the lid on, plug the yogurt maker in, and the yogurt cultures go right to work in a perfect little environment just for them.

This creamy yogurt was ready in just eight hours!  One thing that I've noticed is that the longer it sits, the more sour it seems to taste.  Eight hours is about the minimum time to let it sit.  Once it's creamy, just put the lids on and store the yogurt in your refrigerator as usual.

You can keep six ounces or so aside and use it in your next batch of yogurt, too, and keep doing that the next couple of times you make yogurt.  After about three or four times, I usually start over with a small container of very fresh yogurt from the store again.

Do you make homemade yogurt?  What method do you like to use?

Warmly,

post signature

If you enjoyed this post, subscribe to Like a Bubbling Brook email updates - it's free and delivers new posts about faith, homemaking, and real foods right to your inbox.

Follow along on Facebook. | NEW! Now you can also join us on Twitter. | NEW! Join in the LABB community via our Facebook page.

*also shared at Homestead Barn Hop, Pennywise Platter, Simple Lives Thursday, Ultimate Recipe Swap, Real Food Wednesday, WFMW, WLW Wednesday, Domestically Divine, {Titus2}sdays, Slightly Indulgent Tuesday, Monday Mania, and Tasty Tuesday

Filed Under: Eating Real Foods, Recipes 32 Comments

Meal Plan, Week of 3/21: GAPS Friendly, Grain Free, Diary Free, Cleansing

March 21, 2011

We're going to do things a bit different this week.  Call it a partial fast or a digestive cleanse, whatever you will, but we are feeling a tug in this direction.

Our meals will be GAPS friendly, grain free, and dairy free (with the exception of fermented dairy and organic, free range eggs).  We will include some type of fermented food (rich in healthy bacteria) each day.   I do plan to make an exception to this meal plan just one evening this week, during our church's ladies meeting, which is an international-style dinner.  That will be a fun time of fellowship!

For simplicity's sake, I'm hoping to make large dinners and use the leftovers for lunch the next day.

Here's what we're planning:

Breakfasts

Eggs with dill x2 (I will vary it a bit from this recipe)

Gently cooked apples with cinnamon and homemade yogurt

Fruit bowls with homemade yogurt, hardboiled eggs

Strawberry smoothies (using yogurt, not milk)

Yogurt with cinnamon and honey, freshly made carrot juice

Dinners

Chicken soup with homemade, nourishing, bone-in broth

Beef stew (sans potatoes) with nourishing, bone-in broth

Roasted chicken with light lemon sauce* and capers, lentils, and spinach

Beef roast with lemon* and fennel, squash

Sirloin patties, green beans with dill, honey glazed carrots

*Meat-centered meals can be acidic on the tummy; lemon turns alkaline in the tummy and aids in digestion

Have you ever done the GAPS diet, a whole foods cleanse, or went grain/dairy free?  Do you fast (even a partial fast) for physical and/or spiritual reasons?

Warmly,

post signature

*also shared at the Homestead Barn Hop and Monday Mania

If you enjoyed this post, subscribe to Like a Bubbling Brook email updates - it's free and delivers new posts about faith, homemaking, and real foods right to your inbox.

Follow along on Facebook. | NEW! Now you can also join us on Twitter. | NEW! Join in the LABB community via our Facebook page.

Filed Under: Cleansing & Fasting, Meal Plans 2 Comments