We are what we eat! SALAD DRESSING!

What could be easier then preparing your own salad dressing? Not much and you likely already have the ingredients in your pantry! Easy-peazzy. No talent required. Since you are using all fresh ingredients in your salad it's only right that your dressing should be too!

This is what Kraft's Lite Balsamic contains: 
INGREDIENTS: WATER, BALSAMIC VINEGAR (WINE VINEGAR, GRAPE JUICE, WATER), SUGAR, EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL, CONTAINS LESS THAN 2% OF SALT, DRIED GARLIC, MUSTARD FLOUR, XANTHAN GUM, SPICE, DRIED BASIL, POTASSIUM SORBATE AND CALCIUM DISODIUM EDTA (TO PROTECT FRESHNESS)

This is one of my favorite dressings. I can't wait until summer when I can pull a warm tomato out of my garden, a few shavings of a nice Parmesan and sprinkle it with this tart-sweet dressing.

Balsamic Dressing:

2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon spicy brown mustard
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon each Salt & pepper
2 large cloves of garlic chopped
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
3/4 cup olive oil
pinch of cayenne pepper

Wish all the ingredients together, store in a glass jar with a tight fitting lid. To serve shake the jar! Enjoy

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Mantis ComposT-Twin dual tumbler my review!

I have wanted a Mantis composter since I first saw the ad in an issue of Organic Gardening approximately 20 years ago..you know, before it was cool to organic garden or even compost. I have had my current Mantis for 5 years. I'm not going to say I don't like it, because I do, but for the price, it's far too expensive for how long it takes. I only know of a few people who make compost in two weeks by cutting their trimmings into tiny pieces...yeah, like that's going to happen. I think it's kind of false advertising on their part. They show a woman shoving a huge spent tomato plant into one. 

When I first received my composter I did everything exactly by the book like they said even using a starter. I have been composting for year never needing a starter but I was excited so I used it... fully expecting compost in two weeks! Well, no it takes about eight weeks or more if you turn it every day, keep it well watered...yadda yadda. That doesn't happen here anymore. I fill a chamber turning it when I add new trimmings to the empty bin. My turn over with the lazy method is about 3 months. 

The Mantis drum and stand are pretty heavy duty. It looks fine in the yard if you need to keep it concealed. Emptying it into a wheel barrel is probably the best part. It works, it just takes more time.

The shortcoming are: The doors aren't hinged, they have two flaps. If the ends get bent from removing the doors or from the compost hitting them from the inside, well, it's not fun. My compost is always lumpy, always. Nothing like the black gold they show in the photo. Turning a full unit is not easy! Unlocking the unit has caused more hand hurts then I care to say. I have to make sure I'm wearing thick leather gloves when I open/close the doors. Composting shouldn't cause blood!

My overall view of the Mantis is this. It's expensive for what you get. Save the $500.00 and build yourself a wood fired pizza oven or buy yourself some nice kitchen gadgets. Buy a greenhouse, make a worm bin.  Build a three unit compost bin out of some 2x4 and some chicken wire...it works!

House Seasoning! Do you have one?

I like to keep mixed spices on hand in an old shaker jar. Spring is almost here so it's time to fire up the grill! I put this on just about everything! Enjoy!

What's "your house" seasoning mix?

1 tablespoon paprika
2 teaspoons black pepper
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Eggs to the market!

Okay, so you got me there. They aren't going to the market they are going to the end of the driveway for customer pick up. :)
I just love all the pretty colors and I bet there are a bunch of double yokers in there from my Jersey Giants for sure!

Farm wildlife!

Meet Little Bit. He or she is a baby opossum that has been coming around egg stealing for a while now. He comes around during the day light hours when the coops are open. I think this one is blinder then most since He has actually walked into my legs on several occasions. The flock will usually sound off to let me know he is about even though he doesn't bother them at all (it's rocky raccoon you have to watch out for!). I keep some scraps to feed him.

We are what we eat! Subway meatball sub duplicate!

When you live out in the boonies like we do, you have to consider the time it takes & the price of gas needs to be included in the cost of where ever you go. When we first built down here the price of gas was $1.35, if we would have known then what we know now..well, you know.

I created this for Hubby's Subway Meatball sub cravings. I think it came out pretty well, he is certainly satisfied because now he doesn't even want to go to Subway! LOL

I begin this recipe by making Mexican rolls called Bolillos.
This recipe from Food.com is wonderful, I see no reason to change it! My notes: I usually make six larger rolls instead of 10. Use AP flour instead of bread. The second rise is usually 45 minutes and I lower the oven temp from 375 to 360. Cook time is about 20-25 minutes depending on the size.

Mini Meatballs

8 oz ground beef approx. 80/20
1 tablespoons dried parsley flakes
2 tablespoons plain bread crumbs
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 egg yolk

Mix all of the ingredients except the ground beef in a medium bowl until well combined. Add the beef mixing roughly until fully incorporated. Roll into balls approximately the size of a walnut. Bake for 10 minutes in a 350 degree oven, drain the grease.

While these are baking, make your sauce!

Sauce!

1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes.
1/2 cup onions, minced
3 large cloves of garlic minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons oregano
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon Chili garlic sauce or dried hot pepper flakes to taste.

Saute onions in olive oil until tender about 6 minutes. Sprinkle with salt, add the garlic. Stir to combine. Add the can of crushed tomatoes along with the water. Stir in remaining ingredients. This sauce should simmer about 45 minutes or until it's the desired thickness you like.

Add the meatballs to the sauce to finish cooking.

Enjoy! Recipe Note:  I usually make a double batch of the meatballs when I am making this. I freeze the second batch on a cookie sheet then put in a freezer bag for future use (since ground beef usually comes in 1 pound or larger packages).

Cats love a good box!

If you have feline pets you will probably agree! Meet Princess. She is our resident Main Coon Cat. She has been the sweetest furry friend ever even though she is dumb as a box of rocks. She will be 13 this year so she is slowing down..no more calamity Jane type stunts for her. She is one of six fur balls on the farm!

Meet Purr Purr. He is our 5 year old creepy flesh colored orange tom-cat. We found him on the side of Rt. 343 here in Camden as they were burning the wheat fields. He was so tiny & so hungry! He drank some iced tea & ate pickles in the car on the way home. His buddy Steven passed away earlier this year the vets office fro unknown causes. Steven was found on Rt. 17 in Camden. Many of Stevens litter mates were mashed in the street by the time we turned around & pulled over. Steven was an amazingly friendly tom-cat. He thought he was human. It still pains me today to think about his passing. When he passed Purr Purr went looking for his adopted litter mate. He looked in all the rooms, all the closets. One day I was upstairs when I heard a bang, bang, bang!! It scared the heck out of me. Slinking downstairs I find Purr Purr trying to pull the oven door open looking for his friend. I know he was missing Steven too. He really doesn't care much for the cats in the house. Purr purr also has the widest territory I have ever seen in a fixed cat. It's not unusual to find him a mile down the road standing in the field. When you yell at him he will turn tail & fly home. He will great you on the porch with an expression that says "That wasn't me!"

Pico de Gallo -Good & Good for you!

Greeting from the cold south! Brrrr!! Right now I am wishing for spring to hurry up & get here. I picked up my usual large bunch of tomatoes yesterday at the grocery store. They were expensive but looked okay. It wasn't until added them in my bowl with the onions I realized just how sickly anemic they looked..and tasted. If your tomatoes look like mine you might be better off substituting a 28oz can of diced tomatoes that have been drained in a colander & lightly rinsed. Cento if you can find them! 

This is a pretty basic Pico de Gallo recipe. Let it chill for several hours before tasting then tweek it to your liking. I will admit that I eat this..alot. I make it at least once a week. If I get a bad case of the mid afternoon hungries, I grab a spoon & my bowl. Sometimes a slip of avocado. I use it as a dip, as a salad dressing, add a can of beans it can be a nice lunch from home, for cheap and low calorie. Okay enough on to the recipe!

Pico de Gallow

2 cups chopped tomatoes
1/2 cup sweet onion diced
7 sprigs cilantro chopped
1/2 small jalapeno pepper seed & chopped(or pepper of your choice) 
1 clove garlic minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
1 lime juiced (microwave for 30 seconds, roll then juice)
Pinch of the following
cumin, garlic powder, sugar.

Combine all ingredients, refrigerate 3 hours, adjust to your liking.