Friday, October 29, 2010

My Soapbox

I don't listen to country music but I LOVE this - nothing but truth!


Remember this November!

Thursday, October 28, 2010

Remember in November....



With many thanks to our brave military men and women!



Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Apple Enchiladas by Julie York


Here is Julie's recipe for Apple Enchiladas.  I use a pint of my own canned apple pie filling instead of buying a can.  This is so quick and easy...and delicious!  I don't serve this often so I don't mind the sugar and my boys love this.  It is quick to throw together if you have unexpected company.  I would think you could use other pie fillings too.  I like to serve it after a big Mexican meal.  

APPLE ENCHILADAS
1 Can Apple Pie Filling
6 (8 inch) flour tortillas
cinnamon sugar
1/3 cup butter
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup water
Spoon pie filling into shells. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Roll up like an enchilada. Place in a greased baking pan. Bring butter and next 3 ingredients to a boil. Simmer 3 minutes and stir often. Pour over enchiladas. Let set 30 minutes. (this is important. it softens the enchiladas). Bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Serve warm with a dusting of powder sugar! Enjoy!!

My traditional New Years Day menu is Mexican - this will definitely be on the list of desserts next January!  I make a double pan when cooking for my crew.

I'm still canning apples and would love to have some new recipes if y'all have some to share!

Blessings,

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

TNfarmgirl.com!

Today, my new farm doors opened..come on in!  I've been working on this for as long as I can remember for two weeks. Both of those time estimates are probably accurate statements at this point.

The address for my farm website is now www.tnfarmgirl.com.  My old site, www.sweethollowfarm.com, has disappeared but only momentarily.  The powers that be tell me that within 72 hours you will be able to find my farm site from either address.

Why did it take me two weeks? I think if I could have sequestered myself with no interruptions (hhmmm.... wonder what that would be like?) it would have only taken a day.  However, my life is filled with blessed interruptions from my boys...and I wouldn't have it any other way!


Then there was school to teach,  the garden to put to bed, canning, shed repair, canning, friends to spend time with, canning,  a fun afternoon with my family, canning, classes to teach and...did I mention canning?  Can you see what a blessed child of Yahweh I am? How grateful I am for the way He orchestrates my life.

Just remember when you come to visit...it's a new place and the "pictures" haven't all been hung and there are some new ones too!  There will be some new "rooms" and a "tour" of our farm.  At some point, I think we can get my blog over there too so you will only have one stop to make!

Y'all come visit now....

Canning like crazy!

School in our home usually takes place wherever I am working at the time.  Often, it happens in my little sitting room while I am working on other paperwork. This week it is taking place in the kitchen because my canners are working overtime!

We've put our garden to bed and that usually means a lot of work for me at the end of the season.  I've been busy dehydrating my cayenne peppers - I ended up with several half gallon jars of them.  I need them for cooking and for use in one of my salves!

I'm also dehydrating the last of the green peppers.  They are small since the weather has been cool, but they will be delicious on salads all through the winter!  We don't want to waste a thing so even the smallest pepper gets sliced and goes into the Excalibur!  I put up a great deal of food each year with this machine and absolutely love it.

I'm working on a post for y'all....you wanted to know what I consider essential kitchen equipment - this dehydrator will definitely be on that list.  You can preserve veggies like squash, onions, tomatoes, peppers and more - you can also do fruits and fruit leathers...let your imagination run wild!

I'll be canning a hot wing sauce that I make with our hot peppers.  I hope I end up with enough sauce to run several loads of jars through my canner!

We didn't grow pumpkins this year but we picked some up at the farmer's market and I'm baking and canning pumpkins...and planning pies, muffins and cakes!  We'll take all of the cleaned seeds and toss them lightly with some melted butter and sea salt and bake them on low for a delicious snack or to use as a topping on our salads.

It's apple season here and I'm cooking apples, running them through the food mill and then canning applesauce! I'm also putting up pie filling. My house smells delicious! Dreams of apple pie, apple streusel, apple cake and apple enchiladas are running through my head as I work.  I'll be looking for some new apple recipes so if y'all have some favorites, please pass them this way!

In the meantime, we are enjoying the last of the green beans, yellow squash and tomatoes.  I'll miss the fresh garden produce this winter but am so thankful to be filling my pantry shelves with wholesome food that lacks the additives, pesticides, herbicides and chemical preservatives that bother my boys so much!

I'll try to take a lot of pictures and post them later this week.  In the meantime, I've got some posts coming about the election next month.  I hope you are registered to vote and are praying, reading and researching so that you vote wisely!  This election may be one of the most important in history!

Blessings,

Monday, October 25, 2010

His Endless Gifts

This past week has been filled with His gifts.  As I continue to make these lists, I find that my eyes are opening, I am realizing how many wonderful gifts are provided each day and how easy it is to miss them if you aren't looking for them.  In the busyness of life, we forget to still and see...by seeing Him in the ordinary, our lives become...
extraordinary
adjective 1. beyond what is usual, ordinary, regular, or established

And so we worship Him with our gratitude for His endless gifts...

#161 to #190

pumpkins

apple orchards

family gathered around the table

canners to preserve His gifts of summer and fall

farmer's markets

fall green beans

the last of the tomatoes

day trips with my boys

family coming to visit

washing machines

airplanes

candles

yard sales

cinnamon

my customers

shelves

pies

muffin tins

fall flowers (His beauty never ceases!)

greenhouses

rainy days

full moons

His healing touch

an arm around my shoulder

gifted canning jars

seed packets filled with hope for next year

game nights with friends

community theatre

an honest serviceman

mountains on fire with His color



Won’t you join me….journal your gifts….as you watch your gratitude grow, your trust increases and life becomes an exciting adventure as you anticipate what your Father will do next….He is your source...He never fails....never forsakes......

He keeps me…breathless….. 






holy experience




Blessings,

Sunday, October 24, 2010

He Reigns!



How grateful I am to know that He reigns..in all things...all the time!

Blessings,
Cheri

Thursday, October 21, 2010

Special gifts...

Last week I threw together a last minute dinner and our whole family was able to come!  Mom, Josh and Amanda, my other boys and my dear sister-friend Pam.  It was amazing that on such short notice everyone said yes!  What a special gift it was to me to look around the table and see our whole family!


Josiah and I had been planning to give Josh and Amanda some special gifts after their wedding so that night seemed to be the perfect time!  Josiah spent some time making these from some cedar wood that he had gleaned from around the farm..



















I had asked Joshua, after his engagement, if he'd like to have some of the recipes that he has grown up with over the years.  When he said yes, and named some particular dishes he loved, I decided to create a recipe book in the "scrapbooking" style.

For the cover, I recreated the bride and groom...I won't even discuss how long it took to create the "wedding clothes"....including the sporan!



















I then went back through all of my recipes and copied the ones that Josh has always loved.














I did some on the computer and many by hand.  I tried to stay with the colors of their kitchen which are black and white with a touch of red.













The recipes weren't just from me but also from aunts, uncles, grandmas, grandpas, and many good friends. Sprinkled liberally throughout the book were wonderful messages about marriage, reminders of their wedding and the oft repeated reminder to "kiss the cook".

There had to be a page for their dog.....I wonder if Tifa will like homemade dog biscuits?

And we all know you can't live without chocolate.....


Christmas is coming...so we have to have our traditional recipes for that!  I left places in each category for them to add anything I might have missed or to add their own recipes so that this becomes a book about their family.














I was really excited when I realized that I had a recipe card written by Josh's Scottish Grandmother!  I placed the card in a little pocket to be cherished and also reprinted it on the same page for ease of use.






At the end of the book, I wanted to look towards the future.  Josh and Amanda took a very short honeymoon with the plan of saving to take the trip of their dreams.  I wanted to encourage them in that so at the end of their book....























Destinations.....


Josh and Amanda loved the book...I hope it brings many years of picnics, candlelight dinners and wonderful memories.








I'm blessed! I'm thanking my Father for all the wonderful memories I have of past times that came flooding back to me as I created this gift.  And I'm thankful for all of the wonderful family times to come that will be memories one day.

Blessings,


Monday, October 18, 2010

His Endless Gifts

As I continue to be mindful of His abundant grace in our lives, I marvel at the many gifts that come our way each day.  By learning to see Him in the ordinary, our lives become...


 extraordinary 
adjective 1. beyond what is usual, ordinary, regular, or established

And so we worship Him with our gratitude for His endless gifts....
Psalm 26:7 
That I may proclaim with the voice of thanksgiving, And tell of all Your wondrous works.
Psalm 116.17
I will offer to You the sacrifice of thanksgiving, And will call upon the name of the LORD.
Psalm 100:4 
Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.
So thankful to my Father for.... 
gifts #121 to #160

His palette of fall colors
friends who share meals
last minute invitations
the mountains
art
toasted marshmallows
homemade bread
young people who love Him
telephones
the variety of trees
the sound of wind on the mountain
one son teaching another
the freedom to vote
birthday celebrations
healing herbs
letters from old friends
sweet customers who've become friends
porches
rocking chairs
jewelweed
tiny stitches from centuries past
protective boys
the gift of shoes
memories
carmel hot chocolate
freshly dug potatoes
homegrown peanuts
our garden
home grown pecans
apples galore
real friends
His presence
faithful elders
Torah teachers
fresh eggs
faithful companions
Emily Dickinson
wool blankets
wood fires

Won’t you join me….journal your gifts….as you watch your gratitude grow, your trust increases and life becomes an exciting adventure as you anticipate what your Father will do next….He is your source...He never fails....never forsakes......


He keeps me…breathless….. 




holy experience




Blessings,

Sunday, October 17, 2010

Saturday, October 16, 2010

This November

Remember the promises?



Remember how many were kept?  Remember when you vote this November!

Thursday, October 14, 2010

Pardon my Soapbox

Pardon me while I step up on my political soapbox.  November will be here shortly and here's my opinion of what's been going on since our presidential election...



I'll have a few more things to share...


Wednesday, October 13, 2010

A picture of y'all..

I have a question for y'all. Here is a global picture of you....my readers...
















What in the world are some of y'all doing out there in the middle of the ocean? Come on now....I expect some answers!

Just curious...and you know how that can get a person into trouble! Look what happened to the cat!

Blessings,

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Herbal Medicine Classes!

Dear Readers,



I'll be teaching classes on how to use herbs  for medicine.  I speak and teach all over east TN and southern VA on herbs.  I teach this class for Walter State Community College for both their TAG program and their Kids College program.  I've  spoken on using herbal remedies to rotary clubs, herbal clubs, scout leaders, gardening clubs, hospital groups and much more.  I've had students travel from all over Tennessee, Florida, South Carolina, Georgia, North Carolina, Kentucky, Virginia and West Virginia to take this class.

With the changes in health care and the fact that our President has quietly signed an executive order that takes steps to place America under the Codex program of Europe - herbal medicines and vitamins may become impossible to get except through your doctor.  Come join me and learn how to grow and use your own herbs for medicine.  I've been using herbal medicine for almost 30 years and making all of my own for over 10 years.  

We will cover 10 easy to grow medicinal herbs, including some that commonly grow wild. The herbs included in this course are Calendula, Chamomile, Comfrey, Feverfew, Horehound, Lavender, Lemon Balm, Mullein, Plantain, and Red Clover. You will learn how to grow these herbs, how to harvest them, when to harvest them and how to use them in herbal remedies. You will learn their plant families, their medicinal properties and see a color picture of each one.

You will also learn how to make the most common herbal remedies! You will make a water infusion, a decoction, a hot oil infusion,, a syrup, a compress, a poultice, a salve and a tincture! If we have time, and we usually do, you will also learn how to make your own capsules for pennies and how to make your own colloidal silver for pennies!  If we run late, I will teach those for anyone who wishes to stay.

You will go home with a medicinal salve, a syrup and a tincture that you have made yourself!  You will also get my book on herbal medicines which sells for $20 by itself.

My class is 5 hours long and yummy herbal snacks will be served at the midway point. The cost of the class is $40. You will also be given special contact information so that I can continue to mentor you and answer questions as you work on making remedies in your own home.

My next classes are scheduled for October 23 and November 20th.  I keep my classes small (5 to 12 students) and spaces usually fill up fast. Please contact me to make a reservation.

My goal is to see you able to treat yourself and your family effectively and easily with the herbal remedies you have learned to create in your own home.

Come! Join me on the journey....


Monday, October 11, 2010

His Endless Gifts

Join me, won’t you? 
Learning to see Him in the little things, the everyday…and to worship Him with gratitude for His endless gifts....

Psalm 26:7 
That I may proclaim with the voice of thanksgiving, And tell of all Your wondrous works.
Psalm 116.17
I will offer to You the sacrifice of thanksgiving, And will call upon the name of the LORD.
Psalm 100:4 
Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.

So thankful to my Father for.... 

gifts #86 to #120


warm days


cool nights


boys playing air soft


a son leading worship


the smell of fall


leaves of gold and scarlet


blue skies


puffy white clouds


monarch butterflies


a boy who loves science


soft pillows


a hammock


cows lowing


kittens


long lashes on sleeping cheeks


hugs from my boys


godly men


worship music


His word


a daughter


the smell of freshly tilled earth


hope


friends near and far


Julie


soft rain


the majesty of thunder and lightening


my mother


a chaise to read in


sunshine through lace


homeschooling


books


a harvest moon


cinnamon


bonfires


Won’t you join me….journal your gifts….as you watch your gratitude grow, your trust increases and life becomes an exciting adventure as you anticipate what your Father will do next….He is your source...He never fails....never forsakes......

He keeps me…breathless…..






holy experience



Blessings,

Sunday, October 10, 2010

How He Loves You!



He loves you...from the beginning of time He has loved us all and given everything for us....

Blessings,

Saturday, October 9, 2010

Sister Schubert and My Faux Pas

A dear friend invited my Mom and I to the local performing arts center this week....along with over a dozen other terrific ladies. What a treat!

Who was "performing" you ask?  I was told it was Sister Schubert. I was told it was a cooking demonstration. Cooking?  I'm always interested in learning something new from someone else!

Let me explain...I don't watch T.V., rarely read the newspaper and don't listen to the radio.  I also bake my own bread, rolls, biscuits, hamburger buns, and pretty much cook everything from scratch etc. etc.

SO I don't shop the frozen foods section - this is not an excuse for what is about to happen....it is an explanation....big difference....really...you can trust me on this one.

As we were all standing and chatting before the "show", I asked who Sister Schubert was....there was an audible gasp and I knew I had stuck my foot in my mouth.  And I could feel the blush rise....These sweet ladies were quick to inform me that she was famous for her frozen rolls.

Was I content to stop there....oh.no.....I needed to cram that foot down my throat ask another question.

It seemed very logical at the time....

"Is she a nun?".

Well, wouldn't you?!  She's called SISTER for goodness sakes.

Let me just say that I was with a very special group of ladies - no one laughed (there might have been one wee squeal), no one pointed at the foot in my mouth that was working it's way down to my toes... they were all so gracious.  Now, they might have whispered about the poor dear who's so out of touch with the world that she didn't know who Sister Schubert was (sounds like she must be FAMOUS)....but if they did, I didn't hear them.  I liked every last one of those women!

I liked Sister Schubert - she loves Jesus and isn't afraid to talk about Him.  One of her siblings named her "sister" and it stuck - everyone calls her that. She seemed genuine too - like you could sit and chat over a cup of tea.

I liked that all of her rolls are made with real food - that you can pronounce - things like flour, butter, milk and salt.

I liked the recipe she gave us for bread pudding....made with cinnamon rolls....and an ocean of cream and butter.

*side note* I wish Nora would hurry and DO something so I'd have an ocean of cream and butter!

I liked her cookbook - what I saw when I flipped through it anyway.  I just didn't like the price...$40! It goes for a good cause - to support an orphanage in the Ukraine....just not a part of my budget right now...but I'll probably dream about the picture of those orange rolls...

I must confess though that I probably won't run out and try her rolls.  I just can't believe that anything from the frozen food section is going to taste better than homemade yeast rolls fresh from my oven.

I've invited all of the ladies to my house for a potluck.  I think I'll make my home made garlic knots, covered with melted butter, freshly minced garlic and freshly shredded Parmesan cheese.....and if Nora cooperates - maybe that bread pudding for dessert!

Still blushing here...

Blessings,

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Soap Making Classes

Dear Readers, 
I'll be teaching  classes on soap making over the next two months.  I teach this class for Walter State Community College for both their TAG program and their Kids College program.  I've had students travel from all over Tennessee, Florida, South Carolina, Georgia, North Carolina, Kentucky, Arizona, Virginia and West Virginia to learn soap making with me.
My class will teach you how to make soap in your own kitchen! You will learn the basics of soap making with easy step-by-step instructions that walk you through the simple art of  making your own batch of soap! I also show you what equipment you’ll need and probably already have!  
I teach you about SAP values and why they are important, what lye calculators are and how to use them (and why they are so important!), what lye discounts are and why you need to understand them and what “percentages” mean. This combined knowledge not only helps you understand the soap making process but it gives you the skills to evaluate any recipe you find online or in a book so that you can determine if you would like to use it....no need to waste all those ingredients to discover you don’t like that particular recipe. Even more important, it gives you the skills to create your own unique recipes!
After I cover the basics, we delve into the fun! I teach you what superfatting is and how to do it so that you can create that luxurious soap you’ve been dreaming about! You will learn how to color your soap naturally, how to use essential oils and how to create your own blends of essential oils easily and test them inexpensively!  You will have the opportunity to create your own essential oil blend in class. I also guide you through the properties and “notes” of essential oils. 

You will learn about absolute oils, butters and clays and why and how to use them.  I’ll teach you about soap molds and help you find them...in your own home!  There are over a dozen “tried and true” recipes for soap including many basic recipes along with recipes for Castile, a shaving soap, a milk soap, and more!
I have included both a “tips” section and a “troubleshooting” section to help you salvage any “mistakes” that might happen, I have shared my list for recommended reading and online sites that teach more about soap making so you can continue your adventures.  I give you my list of resources for purchasing ingredients and even recommend software for soap makers!
I’ve done all the “wrong” things according to other soap makers! I have shared my secrets, shared many short cuts, given you great recipes, shared my list of resources, essentially shared it all! 
You will get to touch and sample basic oils, fine oils, clays, butters and even an essential oil or two! 
My class is 5 hours long.  You will make two batches of soap, a simple batch of soap and a more complicated batch usually involving a special coloring technique. Yummy herbal snacks will be served between the two batches. The cost of the class is $40 and includes my book "Soapmaking Made Simple" which sells for $20. You will go home with one bar of any of my soaps or shampoos that you desire.You will also be given special contact information so that I can continue to mentor you and answer questions as you make soap in your own home.

My next classes are scheduled for Saturday October 16, Friday November 5th, and Saturday November 13th.  I keep my classes small (5 to 12 students) and spaces usually fill up fast. Please contact me to make a reservation.

Come join me and learn how to make soap for gifts, for the holidays and for your own family!


Blessings!

Maybe baby?

Not much time to post today! We believe Nora is in labor :)  In case you are a new reader, Nora is our favorite milk cow! I've been informed that she has "bagged up" so her time is close.  "Bagging up" is when their udder fills with milk in preparation for a new baby.

Because Nora is a little older, we are keeping a close eye on her today and preparing a stall for her to use for a few days after the little one is born. We are in the middle of brisk fall weather and the nights are in the low 40s.  We want to keep that little one warm at night till it's strong.

I'll post pictures as soon as I have some...

Praying for a little girl!

Blessings,

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Flaking Oats - A tutorial

I flaked oats the other day and thought perhaps you'd like me to show you how to flake your own oats.  I buy whole oat groats from our local Mennonite Store.  We go through about 100 pounds of oats a year.  I'd like to learn how to grow our own - perhaps we'll study that over the winter and try to figure out how much we'd have to plant to get 100 pounds of oat groats. We use that much because I make my own cereal and the base of my cereal is flaked oats.

We start with whole oat groats...













Yummy!

You can use a hand flaker or an electric one.  Remember my wonderful DLX?



















To use the attachment to flake oats, I turn it on it's side.













Some of the DLX's attachments work this way...and if you look carefully you can see a small white cap on the top - that is another place to use attachments.  Like I said before, this is my most used piece of kitchen equipment - and my favorite :)

I attach the flaker...



















The flaker consists of three pieces...
The part that actually flakes the oats, the hopper that sits on top of it and the bowl to catch the oats.

Here is the flaker with the oat groats in it but without the hopper...













Because we want to flake more than a tablespoon of oat groats at a time, they have generously included a hopper to fill.  This hopper rests inside the opening of the flaker.













It holds several cups.

Turn on the DLX - I usually flake on the highest speed.  As the flaker runs, the newly flaked oats pour out of the bottom into the bowl.   I am free to continue on with other kitchen tasks while my trusty DLX flakes my oats!  Did I mention that I love this machine?














I prefer to flake my oats as I need them - it only takes a couple of minutes and keeps the nutrition at it's highest!  However, I also keep a half-gallon canning jar of flaked oats on hand for emergencies, cookies and last minute menu needs.
All that's left now is to cook up a pot of oats..
I can't tell you how much better this is than that stuff in the round box at the store.  The flavor - oh.my.

A dab of butter and a sprinkle of brown sugar, or honey, or maple syrup....it takes me back to the mornings spent at Grandma's house!
You can find oat flakers online...both electric and hand crank.  I still prefer having one machine that does many jobs which is why I love my DLX and all it's varied attachments.  It takes up less space, is easy to use and does everything.....except cook the meal....

Give them time - those people might even come up with an attachment for that too!

Blessings,

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