Oh, I missed it!

Samantha hardly ever cuddles (I try- she pushes away) She has been sick, so on New Year's Eve Dieter and I went over to my parents. When I got back, this is what I found...

I was glad she was sleeping but a little jealous of the cuddling :) (Kimball loved it. He said they bonded) Kimball and I are boring. He was in bed by 10:30 on New Year's Eve. I followed shortly at 11:00.

Here are some of my goals for 2012...

1. Heal Dieter's body through his diet.
2. Take piano lessons.
3. Really learn to sew.
4. Make my own cheese.
5. Pick up toys EVERYDAY before bedtime.
6. Go on a date with Kimball once a month.
7. Write in my journal 3-4 times a week.
8. Find time to read daily (I might have to give up napping for that. I know, I shouldn't be napping anyway...)

What are your goals? This is going to be great year!

You will be missed 2011

We have had such a fabulous year! I look forward to 2012 but 2011 has such a special place in my heart. Here are some things we have done...


We planted another apricot tree. Dried apricots are my very favorite! We have 10 peach, 2 apricot, 2 pear, 1 nectarine, 8 apple, and 1 plum tree.


The biggest thing was the birth of Samantha! I cannot imagine my life without her!


Dieter turned 2. He loves his balance bike!


We had a huge garden! Kimball is digging around an old well...


Kimball and I celebrated our 5 year anniversary!


Our family on Christmas day. This was Samantha's first Christmas.

Happy New Year everybody! I can't wait to see what 2012 brings!

Not Your Ordinary Shepard's Pie

I was making this recipe several times a month. Now Dieter can't have potatoes so I haven't made it for a while (that is why I don't have a picture of it). Next time I make it, I will use chicken stock instead of bouillon (I think it would give it enough flavor.)

Mushroom Soup
1 19-oz can of Coconut Milk (I like Thai Kitchen)
2 cups Water
1 to 2 TBsp Chicken or Mushroom bouillon, to taste ( I like Better Than Bouillon)
8 oz sliced Mushroom

Combine all ingredients into sauce pan and heat until mushrooms are tender.

Shepard Pie
8 cups mixed vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, onion, corn, et.)
1 recipe Mushroom Soup
4 cups Mashed Potatoes

-Lightly steam vegetables and place in bottom of 9x13" baking dish.
-Cover vegetables with mashed potatoes
-Pour soup over potatoes and poke holes so sauce goes down into vegetables.
-Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes.

Curds and Whey

Little Miss Muffet Sat on a tuffet,
Eating her curds an whey;
Along came a spider
Who sat down beside her
And frightened Miss Muffet away.

I didn't know what curds and whey were until a couple of months ago. Now I think the nursery rhyme is pretty cute :)


It is such a foreign idea to let our milk sour (only use raw milk for that) but that is exactly what you are doing in this recipe. This was so simple to make.

This recipe to is make whey using Raw Milk. You can also "drip" your homemade yogurt to get whey.

-Place 2 quarts of the milk in a glass jar, bowl or pitcher and leave at room temperature for 2-4 days until the milk separates into curds and whey.
-Pour into a strainer lined with cheesecloth and let it drip for a few hours.
-Tie the cheesecloth to a wooden spoon. Place the spoon over top of a bowl or pitcher (suspended across.)
-Let it drip overnight.
-When it has stopped dripping, place whey in glass jar and refrigerate. It should keep for about 6 months.

Apple Walnut Salad

I didn't have a pomegranate for this. It was still good with just the apples and walnuts. I really liked the dressing!

4 Red Apples, chopped
1/4 cup Orange Juice
Salad Greens
1 carton Gorgonzola Cheese (optional)
3/4 cup Pomegranate Seeds
1 cup Walnuts

* Any easy way to remove pomegranate seeds is to cut pomegranate into four sections. Fill a large bowl half full of water. Place a section under water and remove seeds with fingers. *

-One half hour before serving, combine apples and orange juice to keep apples fresh. At serving time, drain off juices.
-Toss together salad greens, apples, pomegranate seeds, and walnuts.
-Top with Winter Salad Dressing

Winter Salad Dressing

1/2 cup Red Wine Vinegar
1/2 cup Olive Oil
1 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Ground Pepper
1 clove Garlic, minced
1/2 cup Honey

-Combine ingredients and blend.
-Refrigerate at least 4 hours before serving.

Link Up Here
Chef in Training
Simply Sugar and Gluten Free
Not Just a House Wife
Ruby Jean
Gluten Free Homemaker

Christmas 2011

We had a wonderful day yesterday! We opened presents, went to church, and spent the rest of the day with family. We gave Dieter a train set and Samantha a bear. We received many other great gifts from family. I feel like you prepare for Christmas for so long, and then it comes and goes so fast! I was sad to see the day end...



I received a Fermented Vegetable Master from Cultures for Health. I am so excited! Let the fermenting begin...

Merry Christmas!

Not so sure about Santa... I hope everyone enjoys their weekend! Today I will be shopping trying to find something for Kimball. I cannot put it off any longer...