Dark Days Challenge 2011-2012

We have a Vegetarian Challenge coming up as part of the Dark Days Challenge. Although my vegetarian meal isn’t “due”until next week, I was inspired by a meal that Jes over at Eating Appalachia made this week for the Dark Days Challenge. She made a beautiful kale and arugula salad with roasted acorn squash. I should clarify that I am inspired a lot by the meals that are cooked up by the South Region of the Dark Days Challenge. For some reason, seeing Jes’s salad made me want to head out back to the garden and do something with some of the kale out there.

Earlier in this challenge a few of the South Region participants made kale chips. Those also caught my eye and I still hadn’t made them. When I walked out back to get the kale I decided that I would make kale chips. I also picked a fennel bulb and some little broccoli sprigs. The broccoli never made it to the table. I started munching on it as I chopped other things. Those tiny off shoots are so tender.

I had two handfuls of bunching onions from my neighbors garden that I pulled last night. They are so healthy and huge this year.

It was in the high 80′s today and I am not sure why, but I decided to roast all my veggies up for dinner, but I did.

• Fennel – from my garden
• Bunching Onions – from the neighbor’s garden
• Kale – from my garden
• Olive Oil – Shady Oaks Olive Orchard – 48 miles
• Butternut Squash – Martinez farms – 64 miles

It was a great dinner. All local. All tasty

Sincerely, Emily

Also, when I make my body powder, I reduce my recycling and trash by reusing a shaker. I found this salt shaker at an estate salt. It really brought back some great memories of a cabin we used to rent in the 70′s. There was a salt & pepper shaker set just like that. How neat.

This is not a recipe that I came up with, you will find it all over the internet.

My body powder shaker

Here is the basic recipe I found (the variation I use is listed below):

• 3 T Baking Soda
• 3 T Cornstarch

Mix together thoroughly. Apply as often as you need to. Use in place of deodorant and/or body powder.

I have seen this basic recipe on many blog, as well as a few variations. Many people can use the basic recipe with great results. Some people will be able to increase the amount of baking soda while others (that’s me) will have to continue to reduce the amount of baking soda until it works. I get a red itchy rash when it comes to the baking soda, so I drastically reduced the amount and found what works for me. If you do not know where you stand with baking soda, it might be best to start with the above recipe, use it for a week and see how you handle it. You will probably know within a few days if you are sensitive to the baking soda or not. If you are not, you can chose to increase the baking soda or use the basic recipe if it is working for you.

Arrowroot powder is something you can use in place of the cornstarch. I used the above original recipe 6:1 ratio with corn starch: baking soda for a long time. I now use half cornstarch and half arrow root powder. The arrowroot powder has a much smoother feel to it and I do prefer it over the cornstarch.

My Version:

• 1 T Baking Soda
• 3 T Cornstarch
• 3 T Arrowroot powder

When winter comes, it brings drier days and my skin starts to dry out. I have also noticed the in the winter, even my version the body power has too much baking soda. I now just use a mixture of arrowroot powder and cornstarch in the winter.

The arrowroot powder I have is not organic. I will replace it organic when I run out.

I mix up a double or triple recipe and store it in a jar. It saves me a little time and clean up and I can just refill my shaker and be back in business.

The baking soda I buy in bulk. It is aluminum free. Aluminum is one of the ingredients that I really wanted to eliminate in the deodorant I use. When I first started making this body powder 3+ years ago, I really had to look around to find a baking soda that is aluminum free. Now you can find it quite easily in most grocery stores.

You will have a lot less waste using this powder. No more container to throw away or recycle every time you run out.

• Azure Standard – organic aluminum free baking soda
• Mountain Rose Herbs – aluminum free baking soda and arrowroot powder

Unfortunately, using this as a deodorant isn’t keeping me stink-free throughout the hot summers of South Texas. I continue to use it as a body powder with success and that is a great thing. I am still on the lookout for a deodorant recipe that works for me. I recently found a few new-to-me recipes for deodorant that I will try. Crossing my fingers that one will work for me.

Sincerely, Emily

Master Lock

In the summer of 2010 my mom and I sent off for the combinations to several locks she had and she is now able to use them. YIPPEE!

Last week I received the email that I have been waiting for. I have been checking my spam folder daily, because I didn’t want to miss this email. There is was, in my inbox and I almost couldn’t get out of the chair fast enough and up the stairs to open my lock.

Since I wrote that post in January of 2011 I have had the form filled out and ready to be notarized (yes, I did say 2011, not 2012 – some things just take time you know.) The form just kept ending up on the bottom of a pile on the desk. I finally found it again and managed to get it into the truck (where it wouldn’t get buried) and I finally made it to the bank to have it notarized.

If you click on the above link to my original post you can find your way to the Master Lock website and forms if you have locks that have been separated from their combinations to!

It’s About Time!

Sincerely, Emily

Susan (VA) from Backyard Grocery presented a beautiful stuffed duck breast for this weeks challenge. This beauty was stuffed with onion, mushroom, garlic and cream cheese. She served it along with broccoli rabe and mashed turnips.  Everyone, including their dinner guests, gave the entire meal a big thumbs up.  Visit her blog to learn about her nice local resources and see her wonderful step-by-step layout for her recipe.

Annie (MD) from AnnieRie Unplugged made a nice local omelet for this weeks challenge. She is concentrating on local ingredients, and also supporting local businesses for some of her things. With the help of a CSA that deliveries all winter long and a few markets that are open all year, she is finding great resources. Eggs, bacon, collard greens, baby swiss, mushrooms, milk and butter – all local. Served on the side was some fresh bread from a local bakery. Stop by her blog to read about her wonderful CSA and learn more.

Victoria (MD) from The Soffritto prepared an appetizing boeuf cabernet with mashed potatoes. She used a chuck roast, homemade onion soup, garlic, carrots and thyme and sage and let this roast slow cook in the oven. On the side she made some beautiful light and fluffy mashed potatoes. Head over to her blog and you will see how tender and juicy her meal looks and also check out her local resources.

Jessica (SC) from Eat.Drink.Nourish. didn’t feel winter had properly visited their area yet this season. Well, be careful what you wish for, because a cold front went through and “cooled” things down. With the weather change and just an overall feeling of being just slightly off balance, she made a great DDC meal to get herself feeling back on track. Garlic gnocchi with butter, bacon and blue cheese crumble, topped with arugula sprouts hit the spot. Visit her blog to read more and see her local resources.

Rebecca (VA) from Eating Floyd has been saving a venison backstrap for a special meal. Valentine’s Day was the perfect time to bring it out. She stuffed the backstrap with blue cheese and seared it before putting it in the oven to finished cooking. She also heated up some homegrown, home-canned green beans and prepared some carrots for the meal too. Visit her blog to see her whole meal and read more.

Finding and cooking local foods has not been the challenge for Jackie (NC) from Southern Fried Goodness, although this challenge is making her think more about local foods all around and be more aware of them. The challenge for Jackie is finding time to blog about it.  I am glad she had time to tell us about her local chicken and dumplings with kohlrabi and baby carrots. Kohlrabi is fast becoming a new favorite for Jackie. Head over to her blog to see her recipe and learn more about her local resources.

Jes (VA) from Eating Appalachia was having a hard time slowing down and her meal this week gave her a much needed opportunity to take a deep breath and enjoy the meditative aspects of just chopping vegetables. She prepared a nice dish with roasted vegetables served over mashed potatoes. The slowed down pace of just chopping the veg, the comfort of mashed potatoes, and the flavors of the roasted butternut squash, kale, and tofu put her back on track. Stop by her blog for information on her local resources and more.

Monika (NC) from Windy City Vegan made a beautiful broccoli and roasted corn chowder for her meal this week. My first reaction was to the deep color this soup takes on and then after reading her recipe I can see this soup is also packed full of flavors. Broccoli, roasted corn, potatoes and herbs de Provence make up the body of this soup, and then she has topped it off with tofu croutons. Beautiful. Visit her blog to see her recipe with variations and see her local resources too.

If you have some time, travel around the individual blogs and see what what they are all up to. You will find recipes and links to local resources.

Head over to Not Dabbling in Normal to read the rest of my post about Finding my way…

Sincerely, Emily

Dark Days Challenge 2011-2012

Not only was this meal YUMMY, but my mom would say it is “colorful” too!

The flavors all tied together with balsamic vinegar were amazing.

I will make this “Tower of Yum” again.

• Ground Beef – Bandera Grasslands – 70 miles
• Sweet Potatoes – Boggy Creek Farms – 76 miles
• Chard – garden
• Green bunching Onions – garden
• Balsamic Vinegar – not local

Sincerely, Emily

The cards I sent out this year I made this past summer with a friend in Austin. Last week I had a slight panic when I realized Valentine’s Day was coming and I hadn’t made cards. I headed upstairs to my art room and was thrilled to find the cards sitting there, just waiting!

It is a card and a bookmark all in one! I didn’t create this idea, but did put my own twist on it. They were fun to make and I hope everyone that receives one will enjoy it too.

Stamps used:

• Happy Hearts (the white heart) – Stampin’ Up 2003 (set of 4)
• small background hearts on card & bookmark (Stampin’ Up, don’t know name of set)
• “Be My Valentine” (not sure of name)

I am in a creative mode and I just borrowed some stamps from another friend. maybe I will head back upstairs and make up next years cards while I have the time.

Happy Valentine’s Day

Sincerely, Emily

Some of the things I am getting to on my own and other things I am doing with a friend. I have known this friend for a little over a year through the herb society, but we have only just realized that we are doing a lot of the same things, or wanting to do a lot of the same things so we have decided to get together once a month and do a few projects. We have a lot in common and it is fun when we get together for our little adventures in the kitchen and beyond.

A few weeks ago when we got together and we had two things planned to do. Make soap and make chapstick (or lip balm.) Making Soap is something she has really wanted to do and I was thrilled to be able to share what I know with her. We made a plain batch of soap to start out with and only added some oats to it. The next day she took it out of the mold and cut it into bars. It is curing now and before she knows it she will be using the it.

Then we made chapstick. I came with two recipes and decided to make the one I found over at A Sonoma Garden called Homemade Chapstick.

I am not going to reprint the recipe. You can easily go over to A Sonoma Garden by clicking the above link.

This is what is in the recipe:

• Beeswax
• Coconut Oil
• Cocoa Butter
• Olive Oil
• Vitamin E

Those are ingredients I can wrap by mind around, not to mention I had them on hand and I was ready to go! I found my chapstick tubes at Texas Natural Supply – just make sure you also order the tops to go with them (those are sold separately). You can also find them at Mountain Rose Herbs (those come with tops included).

I really wanted to use the tubes for this recipe. Cute little tins or containers are just too hard to get into when I am working out in the yard or driving. Also, I am not thrilled with rubbing a dirty finger in a tin to apply to my lips throughout the day. Tubes are the way to go for me.

Making the chapstick is a very easy process. Heat the beeswax, coconut oil, cocoa butter and olive oil. Once melted, remove from heat and add vitamin E. Stir until that is well incorporated. Add any essential oil. We added 3 drops of spearmint – (that was not enough for me!)

Now it is time to pour into the tubes. That was a big discussion. How to pour it. We ended up using the 1/2 pint jar we melted the oils in and we used a small funnel. Where I went wrong was waiting too long and the oils had started to cool and firm up. We reheated the oils, but I had plugged up the funnel by then so I now just poured the mixture into the tubes. I missed a bit, but that’s alright. As I cleaned it up I just rubbed it all into my hands – good stuff!

The recipe says it will fill 7 tubes. When you look at the amount of mixture, you will doubt that – I know I did, but I had 7 tubes ready. If I hadn’t poured so much down the sides – yes, it would have filled 7 tubes (or at least 6 of them.) The way it turned out, we filled 5 tubes easily.

It was a warm day when we did this recipe (mid-70′s) and the mixture didn’t seem to firm up as much as I would have liked. That night when I tested it, it was a very soft chapstick and I was concerned that I could never keep it in my pocket with out melting all over.

Since then, I have kept it in my pocket and it has been fine. The mixture is still very soft (I am used to using firm chapstick) but it is moisturizing and does a great job. I am not sure how it will hold up in my pocket on a hot South Texas summer day. I imagine by the time we reach those temps I will need to make up a new batch and I will just add a bit more beeswax to firm up the mixture just a little bit more.

Have you made chapstick yet? Do you have a recipe you would like to share?

Sincerely, Emily

P.S. When my friend and I get together in March we will be making crackers and we are also going to try pounding spoons and stamping them with inspiring messages or making them into markers for our herbs out in our gardens.

Dark Days Challenge 2011-2012

Another local friendly meal for the Dark Days Challenge.

No fancy recipe for this meal. I pan fried the pork chops and steamed the chard. It is a simple meal, but it is very representational of many of our meals.

• Pork Chop – Bandera Grasslands – 70 miles
• Chard – backyard in the garden
• Olive oil to fry pork chop – Texas  Olive Ranch – 143 miles
• Vinegar on chard – not local

Click on my “Local Resources” page at the top to see more…

Sincerely, Emily

I dug out the little seed trays and got them cleaned up. I used to clean them up before I put them away, but they still got dirty and filled with spider webs and nests that I just clean them when I want to use them now. It was a nice day outside so this wasn’t a hard task to do.

I pulled out the seed packets I wanted to use and got set up on the kitchen counter.

Last year was the first year I was really organized. This year is going well too. According to my notes last year, I started my pepper and tomato seeds Feb 15th and I noted that I wanted to start them a bit sooner this year. So, Feb 1st I got them started!

The tray below is peppers and hibiscus. The hibiscus was literally up in 2 days. YIKES! They are already hitting the top of the seed tray cover. Tomorrow I will need to get them planted up into 4″ pots so I can keep the lid on the tray until the peppers pop up.

What is in those seed trays you ask:

• Zinger Hibiscus (Renee’s Garden)
• Napoleon Sweet Pepper (Seed Savers Exchange – SSE)
• Wisconsin Lakes Red Bell Pepper (SSE)
• New Mexico Pepper – Anaheim (Organic Ferry Morris)
• Jalapeno Pepper (Org. Ferry Morris)
• Orange Bell Pepper (SSE)
• Blondkopfchen Tomato (SSE)
• Crnkovic Yugoslavian Tomato( SSE)
• Large red Cherry Tomato (SSE)
• Black from Tula Tomato (SSE)
• Cherokee Purple Tomato (SSE)
• Beam’s Yellow Pear Tomato (SSE)
  Florida High Bush Eggplant (SSE)
• Eggplant Rosa Bianca (Baker Creek)
• Thai Green Eggplant (SSE)

Some are seeds saved from last year, some of straight out of the seed packet. Last year was a terrible year for a spring garden in our area. Virtually no rain made it very difficult to harvest anything. I had planted over 35 tomato plants last year hoping to be rolling in tomatoes and sick of canning, but that didn’t happen. This year I am going for the same thing. I have heard that there are gardeners out there that say they never want to see another tomato after long hours of canning when it comes to a bountiful harvest. I have yet to have the experience. I hope to have that experience this year. Crossing my fingers and starting my seeds early!

There will be other seeds that I will sow directly in the ground. The seeds I have started above will take over out utility room by the tie they get planted in the ground. Last year I remember hauling them in and out during the day to let them get some fresh air and harden them off for planting. That is a lot of trips back and forth, but worth it to get a head start on the garden.

You can read a few of my last year seed starting posts and spring planting here, here and here.

Sincerely, Emily