Happy New Year, Souper Sunday & New Welcomes

Happy Near Year everyone! Thank you for all your kindness, support & prayers. We made it through the New Year 'celebration' by cooking a rib roast (aka prime rib), twice baked potatoes (can't remember the last time we had these!) & roasted asparagus. Plus, one of my favorite wines ever ... Terra Bianca! It was delicious, many times over.

We ended the year on such a sad note that it's hard to look back at all I got accomplished. But, we must forge ahead, no matter how painful at times.

So, instead of looking back, I'll look forward. My sister is now speaking in complete sentences instead of just one word answers to questions. And, she shared the Hobby Lobby postings this week. All signs that she will move forward with her life as well.

I'm still working on the post for Brooke but having trouble with just the right words, much less the problems with photos. Oh well, I'll get it worked out somehow.

I went back to work last Wednesday (1/2/13). Hard, but getting better. I still have a few friends to face but after that, I think things will work themselves out for the normal side of things.

Our house is still clean & uncluttered. One of the goals we have set for ourselves .... when laundry is done, put it ALL up. That may take some cleaning of drawers & closets but rest assured, we are going to really try.

This past weekend was another round of accomplishments. Not much to speak about for Saturday but Sunday was a busy day. 

I tried a carpet cleaning recipe that really seemed to work. Our last house guests (in Oct.) apparently filled their coffee cups too full & 'dribbled' coffee straight across the room which I didn't notice until we started cleaning last week. I put about an 1/8th of a cup of baking soda in a spray bottle, then filled with hydrogen peroxide. Sprayed the stains, waited a few & then dabbed scrubbed the spots, then vacuumed a little while later. All gone!

Update: No pictures. Just trust me, it worked!

I then started some yogurt with whole milk (pasteurized but not homogenized) from Wainwright Dairy I warmed 1 quart milk to 180 degrees, let cool to 110 & then added 1/2 c. Greek yogurt w/life cultures. Put it in a covered glass container & put it in an insulated cooler with a qt. jar of very hot water. I just changed the quart jar of now luke warm water w/another qt. of hot. I take it out at 8pm tonight & will set it in the fridge to drain to get some nice thick yogurt.

Update: Got it & it's delicious! It is a toss between sour cream & butter. Soooo good! I can only handle a 4 or 5 teaspoons at a time.

I decided to make French Baguettes today as well. I had bought 2 Williams Sonoma baguette pans at an estate sale last year ($10, retail for $30). I mixed the yeast, sugar & salt, let that sit, then added flour & kneaded for 10 minutes (my 2nd workout for the day) then let it rise for 45 minutes. Then every 30 minutes took out, turned, folded & put back to rise for another 30. Next was to shape in balls, let rest for 5, then flatten & roll into loafs. Let that sit for another 30 & then bake for 20 min. in a 450 degree oven. They smell heavenly, & they tasted wonderful! Update: It's now Tuesday & I just had a couple of slices w/my wonderful salad, delicious.

Note: Will cook at 425 degrees for 25 in the future. They were very good but I think a lower temp. would work better.

Since it was such a dreary day & on queue from Mama Pea I decided to join in Souper Sunday & made homemade soup.

Cream of Broccoli that I adapted from Granny Miller is what I decided on. I steamed Organic broccoli that I got from the The Veggie Bin & then finely chopped & put it in with some whey that I had frozen from the last time I made cheese & heated that up. In a separate pan I melted 3 T. of butter, added dehydrated shallots, s & p & then added about 1/2 c. flour. I browned all that & then added about a quart of the Wainwright Dairy whole milk. Once it thickened, I added the broccoli mixture to that & it has been simmering for about an hour. Update: Added about a 1/2 c. of freshly grated parmesan cheese, just before serving. 

Sorry for the bad pic, but rest assured there is broccoli & cream in there!

I picked 3 different lettuces from my grow stand. Made a simple salad of lettuce, scallions, a little bit of tomato & crumbled blue cheese with balsamic vinaigrette. It was very good!

2 of the 3 different kinds of winter lettuce!

Home grown lettuce!

And last, but certainly not leastly I would like to welcome a few new blog friends:

Red Woman - She's a woman who speaks her mind & makes no apologies. Very refreshing.

Pat. It doesn't appear that you have a website, but I welcome you as you follow along.

Terri from Our Crazy Farm. She is probably one of the most spiritual person I have 'conversed' with. She's been through a lot but continues moving through her purposed driven life.

Thank you all for joining me on my journey!

That's it. Good night, sweet dreams, don't let the bed bugs bite, etc., etc.

Another update: I also made homemade yogurt that is nothing if not exceptional!