High Protein Rotis - Duck Pond - Happenings

We received some much-needed moisture over the weekend. It filled up the duck pond. I found this little rubber duckie while metal detecting a few weeks ago. I found this and a couple of tennis balls down by the river. None of which are metal. 

The duck floated probably over 75+ miles with all the twists and turns in the river from a town that has a duck race. This little duckie got away. It is numbered on the bottom, so I know that is where it traveled from. I would say that it may not have been the fastest, but it certainly floated the furthest. I'm certain that the tennis balls were lost by dogs. People stop there and walk their dogs along the river. 

I found tools and metal cans at a park down a dirt road. It's a nice little park. It has the sturdiest of playground equipment. Fun and whimsical with bright colors for the kids along with a small horse arena and stalls. Unfortunately, it is rarely used. 

I'm still recovering, but I hope to do some baking tomorrow now that the Feast of Unleavened Bread is over. We ate the last of our Rotis made with yogurt, flour and salt. They are really good flatbreads and simple to make. Use a high protein yogurt such as Greek yogurt for a high protein bread.  

1 cup plain yogurt

1/2 Tsp salt

All-purpose flour, 3+ cups

Use enough all-purpose flour to form a soft dough. Knead for about 5 minutes. Let rest 30 minutes. Divide dough into 8 balls and roll out on a flour dusted surface. Cook in a pre-heated griddle or skillet on med-high heat until bubbles form and then then flip. Flip again after it begins to bubble again. Press bubbled areas lightly with a spatula until the roti puffs up. Remove from heat and wrap in a towel until all rotis are cooked. Serve warm. 

I made roasted garlic butter and brushed it on both sides. They were soft, pliable and easy to re-heat. These make a nice snack, a great addition to any meal or use to make your favorite wrap. 

Mrs. Smith

Extreme Weather

We are under a winter weather advisory for the next few days. It's been in the 70's for the last week and now we are going to have a snowstorm with colder temperatures. We desperately need the moisture no matter what form it takes. We are already under a burn ban since the last part of February. Crazy weather!

Mrs. Smith

• Thursday
  Red Flag Warning!

  

  High: 58 °F

  Sunny and
  Windy

• Thursday Night

  

  Low: 24 °F

  Snow Likely
  and Breezy

• Friday

  

  High: 31 °F

  Snow Likely
  then Snow and
  Breezy

• Friday Night

  

  Low: 18 °F

  Snow

• Saturday

  

  High: 34 °F

  Snow Likely

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Spring Has Sprung in the Mountains - Happenings

We rescued a calf that was separated from its mama when it got trapped inside an abandoned dog run. The mama cow tried to tear the fence down to get to her calf to no avail. She was mad snorting and kicking up dirt until she figured out that I was trying to help. For my own safety Number One Husband positioned the car between the cow and I so that I could safely get the calf out of the fenced area. 

The calf was probably just a day or two old. The next day the same mama cow laid her calf down just outside our fence while she went and got water. The wind scared the calf, and the calf ended up inside our fence and laid down next to our barn. I decided to name the calf "Fence". When the mama cow returned the calf refused to get up. 

The mama cow was patient and after a several hours the calf got
up, driven by hunger I'm sure, and made it back to its mama. I checked on the calf several times to make sure that all was well. This time the mama cow was not even the slightest bit aggressive, and the calf was not scared at all. I kept my distance and used the barn as a shield. 

Last spring, a friend of ours who has been around cattle all of her life, was tossed like a ragdoll into the air when she accidently got too close to a calf. She broke her ankle and sustained other minor injuries. Cows make the best mamas. 

The buffalo rancher brought back the newborn buffalo calf that we rescued last year. She is not so little anymore. She thinks that she is a dog, but she is 400 pounds. Number One Husband visited her while checking on the buffalo last week. I hope to visit her next week and take some pictures. I will post them as soon as I get them. 

It's a whopping 75 degrees outside. The wild buffalo grass is starting to turn green at the base. I have had the windows open in the house for three days now. It was a bit cooler the first two days (63 degrees), but the fresh air was so nice that it was worth it. I even left the windows open overnight that was until the fireplace kicked on in the wee hours of the night. 

We have been spring cleaning all week. The windows have been washed inside and out. Number One Husband was in charge of cleaning the windows on the outside and a couple of windows that I was unable to reach on the inside. He also did other spring chores inside and outside while I continued completing the goals on our list inside the home.

In fact, all of the glass and mirrors inside the house have been cleaned including all the glass on the pictures hanging on the walls. The cabinets and drawers have been wiped down and cleaned out. The high dusting is finished. The stove and refrigerator have been moved and cleaned underneath. Plus, all of the weekly cleaning and cooking in preparation for the Sabbath and Passover has been done. I still want to tackle the office and storage room, but that will have to wait for another day. The very last thing on our list is the dreaded barn. 

I am still limiting my screen time so that my neck and jaw muscles continue to heal. I am doing much better, but the computer is still my nemesis at this time, so bear with me. I hope to be back to posting regularly soon.

Shalom,

Mrs. Smith

 

 

Vegetarian Lentil Breakfast Sausage - Money Saving Recipe

This recipe makes about 20 patties for a nominal price compared to
the price of meat patties.

I decided to create vegetarian breakfast sausage patties as an alternative to expensive meat sausage. I usually make my own beef or chicken breakfast sausage. You can find my recipe here: Copycat Jimmy Dean Breakfast Sausage 

I used a lentil kofta recipe as my guide. I only changed up the spices. The sausage turned out great. Number One Husband's reaction was that it tasted just like sausage and immediately requested that I make homemade biscuits. I obliged his request.

I only made 11 biscuits because that's all my cast iron pan will hold. We ate some of the patties and we have a few patties leftover.

I added cheese once the biscuits cooled.

I wrapped the breakfast biscuits in tinfoil sheets so that I could re-heat them in the oven.

Ingredients:

1 Cup Lentils

1 Bell pepper, quartered

1 Onion, quartered

1 C Breadcrumbs  

1/2 Tsp Cayenne pepper

1 Tsp Salt

1/4 Tsp Garlic powder

1/2 Tsp Parsley (Finely chopped or dried)

1/4 Tsp Sage (rubbed or ground)

1/4 Tsp Black pepper

1/4 Tsp Red pepper flakes

1/4 Tsp Ground thyme

1/8 Tsp Ground coriander

1/8 Tsp Oregano

Oil for frying

Notes:

 Add more or less pepper flakes and cayenne to adjust the amount of heat you desire.

 Add maple syrup if you want maple flavored sausage.

Directions: 

Rinse lentils in a strainer removing any foreign objects until water runs clear. In a bowl, soak the lentils in hot water for three hours then drain. In a separate bowl, mix spices together. Place all ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. In a large fry pan, add oil until the bottom is covered. Heat on medium until oil is hot. With wet hands form patties that are 1/2 of an inch thick. Fry on both sides until brown and crispy. Place cooked patties on a paper towel or plate to remove any excess oil. Use patties for breakfast sandwiches or crumble patties for breakfast burritos.

Enjoy!

Mrs. Smith

 

Shabbat Shalom - Happenings - Deep Dish Kettle Pizza Recipe

We are definitely living in uncertain times right now, but the fact is life is uncertain all the time. We never know what tomorrow will bring. It's hard to know where exactly all this chaos is going to lead us, but life goes on. We can still find joy in the little things like an eagle sitting alongside the water or the daily tasks that keep our households running smoothly. 

An eagle sits on the edge of the water.

All the ice has melted.

It melted early this year.

Studies

Cranberry jam on whole grain pancakes.

The name of God for last week's study.

Bierocks (German Burgers). The dough was a bit moist, so it was not as smooth
as it should have been, but it turned out fine just a bit wrinkled.

My hands are as wrinkled as the dough.

Bottom.

Top

Repeat.

Viola! We ended up with twelve wrinkled bierocks. 

Deep dish kettle pizza

Deep Dish Kettle Pizza Recipe

This is a recipe for deep dish kettle pizza that I created. I also use this dough to make bierocks. The only difference is that I let the dough rise for 1 hour instead of 20 minutes when I am making bierocks. Please excuse my chicken scratch, I was trying to write down the ingredients and the techniques I used before I forgot once I realized that I created the best dough for kettle pizza. I took a chance and tried the same dough for bierocks. It worked great although I added a bit too much water on this last batch of bierocks. 

It snowed again last night. I was surprised when I opened the blinds
this morning. 

Do Not Worry - Matthew 6:25-34

25 “Therefore, I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Isn’t there more to life than food and more to the body than clothing? 26 Look at the birds in the sky: They do not sow, or reap, or gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds[c] them. Aren’t you more valuable than they are? 27 And which of you by worrying can add even one hour to his life? 28 Why do you worry about clothing? Think about how the flowers of the field grow; they do not work or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his glory was clothed like one of these! 30 And if this is how God clothes the wild grass, which is here today and tomorrow is tossed into the fire to heat the oven, won’t he clothe you even more, you people of little faith? 31 So then, don’t worry saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’ 32 For the unconverted[k] pursue these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But above all pursue his kingdom[l] and righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 So then, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Today has enough trouble of its own. 

Shabbat Shalom,

Mrs. Smith