Using our garden and pantry for a fun dinner and crafting day

We spent the day doing what we like to do.   Dude, watching football and old cowboy movies .  Me, cooking and crafting.

Dude brought in Summer's saddle to have in the house. His heart is rather heavy not having her around. 

After chores were done this morning we headed to town to get stuff for dinner and a few things for Dude's new adventures in train building.

My mom was heading to her 68 class reunion today.  Her and her classmates still get together about once a month but this time it was an actual reunion.

That got me thinking about meals my mom would make on a Sunday afternoon.  She is a darn good cook.  Usually we had beef on Sunday... a potroast, potatoes, carrots... and if my Dad was home (and not overseas -military) we would have dessert... a cake, pie, or a fruit baked crisp. So, I thought I would combine it all with the fall bounty we have and make beef stew.

Stew was put in the crockpot. We don't usually eat beef but for some reason it just sounded good on this first day of fall (would have made lamb stew but I think we ate it all...we love lamb).

Here's the recipe.

1.5 lb of beef stew meat
flour, salt and pepper to dust the beef
6 garden carrots  pieces - garden
1 medium zucchini medium pieces
1 large onion coarsely chopped - garden
4 red potatoes quarter and cut again into bit size pieces
2 celery sticks sliced - garden
1 bay leaf
1 cup frozen corn - I buy when 10 for $1
1 can of tomato sauce- I buy by the case
2 cans of water
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce


Toss the beef with the flour and salt and pepper.

In a skillet with a tablespoon of oil brown the meat on all sides.  Just brown the meat don't cook through.

Then place all the ingredients (including the beef) into the crockpot. Cook on low for 8hours or high for 4 hours. I cooked mine on high for 4 hours.

Pumpkin Cupcakes.
1 butter pecan box cake mix  - I buy 10 for $1
1 can of pumpkin puree - it has been in the pantry for a month - smile.
1/2 cup of yogurt.

Mix all together.  Bake at 35* for 12-15 minutes in cupcake pan.

Let them cool and top with basic butter frosting and sprinkles.

They turned out more like muffins. 

But ohso good. 

Every month my sister and I send each other a "craft" to do.  Here are this month's.

Decorative balls. You can do these for any season but they look great with a group of them in a bowl.

And a dollar store potholder and kitchen towel sewn together to make a fun hanging towel. 

 Sew a gather in the center of the towel. Then sew the potholder on top of that seam. 

Add a button on the opposite side of the loop for hanging. 

This one I will keep... put the button on the wrong side... grin. 

Crafting will continue through the evening while Dude watches football.

Thought for my journal tonight... What 3 Amazing things happened today? 

peace

New little ram, quick dish towel project and more.

Despite the overcast day it was an amazing day!  We went to look at a baby ram. I have always, since I was a kid, wanted a lamb and raise sheep.  Dude, being an old farmer said he hated sheep. When he was a kid they would let cattle and sometimes sheep eat and fertilize their old corn fields. He hated sheep because they would pickup weeds and stickers with their wool and leave them on their land. I figured with his thoughts about sheep I would never had one but guess what he surprised me with today?  I am smittened beyond belief. 

Once again we headed for the foothills to a farm that raised Romeldale CVM sheep. 

From the Livestock Conservancy: "The Romeldale is an American fine wool breed, and the California Variegated Mutant, or CVM, is its multi-colored derivative. Both the CVM and the Romeldale are unique to the United States and are endangered." 

They are so adorable in their dumb little ways!

And here he is ... the little ram we came to see.  I knew I had to get in there and deal with him myself since he would be mine. The sheep were a little skittish and were running around. I was afraid I would be rammed but found out these are a gentle breed and don't ram or butt people like other breeds or goats. They are docile, good mothers and live long. 

I caught him. 

Dude carried him to our trailer. There were no issues and he was calm the whole way home. 

When we got home he and Angelo hit it off just fine. 

Mr Buttons was very curious and came to see who the new family member is. 

Peppermint, our milk goat, wanted nothing to do with him.  He just wanted a hug and she kept running from him. 

He finally gave up and settled in with Angelo. We will breed him with other Romeldale CVM and use his wool. He will not be for eating. I am so excited about this new venture.

After I calmed down (I love, love, love my ram!) I came in the house to sew.  I had some potholders and dish towels I bought from the Dollar Store. 

Oops , it's sewn upside down!

It was so easy and literally took 5 minutes to make. You put a large gather stitch in the center of the towel and pull to the size of the potholder. Then sew the center of the potholder to the towel and add a button to have the loop go over and WALA!

Dude is working on gifts as well... beef jerky.  15lbs of beef going in the dehydrator! He makes the best beef jerky!

I'll finish today's post with three hats I made today for a friend. Two crocheted and one knitted. Hope she likes them! 

Tomorrow is a bit of work, taking my mom to the grocery store since I will be in the city and then home to sew an outfit for the weekend! So psyched! I love to sew. 

peace!