Shabbat Shalom!

 

Shalom,

Mrs. Smith

Preserving the Harvest - Fermenting Whole Cabbage Heads

Remember my blog post about fermenting whole cabbage heads? Fermenting Whole Cabbage Heads - Sauerkraut Well, it was time to make a decision about what to do with them.  

I wanted to keep the probiotic rich sauerkraut and use it just as it was, but I was concerned that it would become to sour and salty the longer that they fermented. I really like sauerkraut, but this was as strong as I wanted it to get. 

It's common in other parts of the world to leave the whole heads of fermented cabbage in giant barrels that they were fermented in down in the root cellar and pull out a head as needed. We do not eat a barrel of kraut every year, so we are not used to really strong kraut.   

I just had to process most of the heads. I saved some of the juice to add
to water for hydration and nutrition. Wow, it is powerfully strong but
very flavorful. 

I saved some raw kraut too. I will store it in the
refrigerator to slow down the fermenting process.

Am I the only one who thinks canning jars filled with the harvest
is a beautiful sight?

The cranberry juice that I canned turned out great. Homemade Cranberry Juice  I highly recommend trying out this recipe. 

Shalom,

Mrs. Smith

 

The Sound of Silence...

 

I have been on an extended sabbatical from my computer for a few weeks now. I started while Number One Husband was away. I have been trying to recover from neck, back and jaw issues. I hope to return to blogging more frequently in the next week or so. Thank you for your patience.

Mrs. Smith

Chicken Adobo - Extending the Table Cookbook Recipe Series

Extending the Table Cookbook Recipe Series 

I finished reading through my new cookbook and decided to try a simple recipe called Chicken Adobo. I managed to drip something on it already. At least it was only water from rinsing off my hands. The tester of this recipe calls it the best chicken that he has ever ate. He also noted that it was easy to prepare. These two statements intrigued me, so I gave it a try.

I browned the chicken before I added the sauce. It gave the option
to brown it in the oven after it was cooked, but it seemed to me 
that heating up the oven was a waste of energy.

After 50 minutes, the sauce was reduced, and the chicken was tender. I
turned the chicken over several times while it was simmering to ensure
the sauce flavor was cooked into the meat.

Number One Husband and I also some made homemade egg rolls.

I love egg rolls! I froze the extras.

I served the Chicken Adobo with white rice,
Asian vegetables and an egg roll.

Number One Husband did not agree with the tester as far as it being the best tasting chicken, but he did agree that it was really good. I also liked it a lot. I must say that it is an easy recipe to make. Plain rice complements the savory salty flavors of the sauce. A little sauce goes a long way. I will definitely make this recipe again. 

I hope that you will join me again while I learn to cook basic recipes from around the world from my Extending the Table Cookbook. Most of the recipes are made from pantry staples with the exception of a few unusual spices. Rice and grains are used to bulk up meals around the world because they are more affordable than meats, therefore spices are very important flavoring for sauces, rice and beans. 

We can learn a great deal from other countries where absolutely nothing goes to waste. Hospitality is important no matter how little you have and where sharing a meal with others is a way of life. 

Shalom,

Mrs. Smith

Alone...

Coming Soon! Extending the Table Cookbook Recipe Series.

I spent a week by myself while Number One Husband traveled to see a sick friend. I would have traveled with him, but he gathered all his (male) friends to show up over two days for a surprise visit and I felt that I would have been in the way. All of my friends (wives) work, so I decided I would be more comfortable alone in my own home.

And stayed home I did. For a week I did not see another human being. I spoke to Number One Husband just a couple of times. Our phone connections were not the greatest. It was frustrating, but we survived. By the end of the week, both of us were more than ready for him to get back home. 

I stayed busy for the most part. I did some much-needed darning, organizing, cleaned house, ate freezer meals and cleaned out the chicken coop. Towards the end of my alone time, I prepared biscuit dough for the freezer, made and froze breakfast sandwiches, marinated pickled chicken breasts for Number Ones return dinner, baked bierocks and for the Sabbath I made a large pot of soup that lasted beyond the weekend. You can find the recipe here: Nora's Hamburger Soup

I still had hours and hours of time to burn. In the evenings, I would do my studies and go through my new cookbook. I read each little story that described each recipe carefully marking each recipe that we would enjoy. 

I watched some of my favorite movies like Out of Africa and Pride and Prejudice. I really enjoy time period shows. I watched the first two seasons of Empress in a short time. I stayed up until 3:30 am that night. I only had two episodes to go, but I couldn't keep my eyes open. I woke up at 5:30 am and couldn't get back to sleep. It was preparation day, so I just stayed up and did my chores.

I stayed off the computer for the most part, hence the lack of blog posts last week. I still had a lot of time on my hands especially in the evenings. I found little projects to keep me busy during the day, but at night I was bored stiff. I could only take so much television after my Empress marathon. 

It's amazing how little effort it took to keep the house in order with just me at home. It snowed for three days, so there wasn't much I could accomplish outside until the weather cleared. I opened the blinds one morning and was blessed when I saw a pair of bald eagles flying low during their mating ritual. Eagles mate for life and raise their young together just like humans do. I truly missed my mate.  

I cooked all of Number One Husband's favorites to have on hand for his return. I was able to plan his arrival within minutes. I had fried pickled chicken sandwiches on homemade buns ready to eat when he arrived. I just needed to deep-fry the hand cut fries. I missed him dearly and wanted to show him how grateful I was that he returned home safely.

We have both been catching up on sleep this week. We must have needed it. We are getting back into the groove of things. I caught up on the laundry that came back home. We emptied the car and put away his traveling equipment. (Ice chest, suitcases etc...) 

Number One's trip down South was marred with weather related issues. He was re-routed over a hundred miles due to heavy snow and blizzard conditions. Other roads had winds so strong that it overturned semi-tractor trailers and trucks towing RVs. The wind was incredibly strong. The weather was perfect on his return trip. 

Absence truly does make the heart grow fonder. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy my alone time. In fact, I seek solace daily for my studies, reading and to quiet my spirit and gather my thoughts. The world can be a very loud place. 

The sound of silence is just as loud. It is a constant dull hum from our eardrums trying to connect to any sound available. I really appreciated the sounds of the wind, birds and even the sound that the inverter made to help drown out that silent hum while Number One Husband was gone. 

This is what I have been up to lately and now it is time to rest. Have a blessed Sabbath...

Mrs. Smith

 

 

Here's Your Sign...

 

Mrs. Smith 😂

Happenings

The wind is roaring outside. Extreme weather is happening all across the US right now.

With warmer temperatures and melting snow, we are now into the dreaded mud season with more heavy spring snows on the way. What a mess. The bluebirds showed up on March 1st, 17 days earlier than last year. 

In the winter months that I am usually able to store extras in our antique propane and kerosene refrigerators without using any fuel. This was not the case this year. It has been unusually warm all winter even though this winter is supposed to be the coldest on record in the US. It has been colder in the southern states than here for the last couple of weeks. The weather seems inverted. This happens sometimes.

Last year, I froze our extra eggs from our hens, extra milk for yogurt and extra butter, and I am so glad that I did because the price of these items continues to rise. With temps reaching into the 60's the last couple days I just couldn't take a chance on losing these resources even though we are well below freezing at night. 

This was a little difficult since both of our freezers (refrigerator freezer and a small chest freezer) were almost completely full, praise God! After much finagling I managed to get everything put away in the order that it needed to be used.  I usually have more time. Well into April I would say, but not this year. 

Once I make tallow from the last 5-pound bag of beef fat that we purchased a few weeks ago and make some bone broth out of bones that I have been saving up, I will have more space in my freezer. I definitely want to get this done before it gets too warm outside. I avoid using the oven as much as possible during the warmer months to keep the house as cool as possible. 

The Sun Oven comes in handy when I am trying to keep the house cool.
It also reduces our energy consumption.

I cooked for the weekend throughout the week. I usually prepare extra meals for the freezer while I am cooking. This week, I am using freezer meals instead of cooking. I will probably bake bread later in the week and make a batch of tortillas. 

I made a batch of bierocks last week using my tortilla press
to press out the dough. This saved a lot of time and work.

Bierocks are one of Number One Husband's favorite meals. 

By the time Friday morning rolled around, my back was spent, and I was ready for the Sabbath to begin. I'm really glad that I did most of the housework on Thursday and all of the cooking throughout the week. All that I needed to do on Friday was dust.

It was so warm last week that I was able to hang the laundry on the clothesline without the clothes flash freezing. I washed extra loads of linens, so I could stow them away until next winter when they will be needed again. 

I started spring cleaning and organizing a couple of weeks ago. I started with my "study corner". What started out as a small stack of books spread onto the floor inside canvass storage cubes in the living room and overtook the top of the dresser in our bedroom. I just kept adding books to the pile if I found what I was looking for at a thrift store or online. I still can figure out how I can purchase a book (used, in excellent condition) for $4.51 and get free shipping.

I added this book recently. It is a very interesting cookbook. I spend a little time in the evenings reading and marking the recipes that I want to try. There are wonderful short stories about missionaries learning about food and hospitality around the world.

I organized my books, stored them properly on my bookshelf and reduced my study corner to just a nice small stack of books. Cleaning out my little corner is just the beginning. De-cluttering, organizing and being able to locate the items again is my goal for the entire house and barn. The barn itself is going to be a monumental task. The house is in good shape. We are in-between seasons, so we have extra gear on hand until we change into summer mode.

This is some of what I have been up to for the last week or so. I have many goals, but I am flexible when life gets in the way. Today is just too windy to have the doors open on the barn, so I am just tidying up the house a bit. I may start an inside project, but I am not in a rush. I hope you all have a blessed week.

Shalom,

Mrs. Smith