Catch-up!

They say a picture is worth a thousand words.  Given how neglectful I've been of this space, I figure these photos will do a better job than my words.  

In case you don't know, homemade raw butter is a real treat!  The kids love making butter from the spring and summer milk.  It's so vibrant (almost neon!) compared to the winter milk.  Sorry my photo is too dark to tell.  Anyhow, very cool.  And delicious!  

Since summer has begun, we have been adjusting to new routines.  I do prefer the times where we are all together, working, playing, discovering and just being alongside each other.  However, this year has been harder adjusting than I remember.  I seem to have a hard time putting my foot down and actively creating order and respect.  This is a bit of an adjustment for me, but we are making progress. 

Our summer routine is rooted in home life.  Thanks to some advice from a dear friend, I have recently changed the rhythm of our mornings.  We start our day with prayer, then breakfast.  Breakfast is a family affair where we all prepare breakfast, set the table and then sit down to eat.  I started reading the Prologue to the children during breakfast - it keeps them from squabbling and we learn about the lives of the saints for each day.  This is a great blessing.  They love hearing the lives of the saints - each has several favourites they regularly demand to hear!  I must say though that D does the best Bible stories.  What can I say?  He has a gift!  

After breakfast, we clean up.  Someone washes the dishes, another washes and wipes the table, another .  Then we start our work for the day.  Each day has its own work- usually it includes at least one chore for each person.  I anticipate at least another couple of weeks before the routine solidifies for us all.  (Fingers crossed!)

M has developed allergies - he was quite miserable this past May.  Thankfully, the past few weeks have been much better.  I hope I'm not speaking too soon though, because this morning he was complaining that his eyes were bothering him again.  :(

On the long weekend we picked peas at a local farm with some family and friends.  That's always a favourite activity with the kids.  Afterwards we went for a walk in old Unionville and then ice cream at the Old Firehall Confectionary.  It was S's birthday that weekend too, so now we have a 3 year old at home.  We got her a balance bike and I managed to finish her a messenger bag.  (She was long overdue...)  We were skeptical that she would get anything out of it, but I have to say that bike gets a ton of use.  Everywhere we go, the bike comes.  I have to say it was the best investment we've made this summer!  :)    

 Of course, can't forget about the Toronto FC game this kids got to attend!  This is about the only shot I got.  We got so into the game that I forgot about the camera.   It was great!  (Yes, Sophia the doll comes everywhere with us.)

That was a cake I made last month.  A cream cheese stuffed banana chocolate chip coffee cake.  It's as good as it sounds.  And filling enough that one slice was enough for me.  Here is the recipe.  (You're welcome!)

I wish you a sunny weekend!  

Daily updates, Sunday dinner and popcorn

Just wanted to share a quick knitting update.  I only have the front left side to finish and then sew the underarm seams.  It's a little wonky in places because my gauge is not quite uniform.  Behold the beginner!  Despite the imperfections, I think it's still a sweet little sweater.  I just can't wait to see if our little one or another baby girl will get to wear it.  (And here's me already mentally working on a new boy's sweater in grey!)

We have been going easy on schoolwork since school actually started.  It sounds logical since we're not technically homeschooling, but normally, "school" is much more than academics.  It is a complete life experience.  They learn cooking, cleaning, taking care of themselves and their environments and everything else that this wonderful life entails, including reading and writing and arithmetic.  :)

However, with D-day so close, and me so tired most of the time, we tend to take an even simpler approach.  A little reading together, washing the dishes, washing off the table, putting laundry away, a little sewing or other handiwork.  My sweet little son took up an embroidery needle for the first time this past week and made a little stocking for his teacher.  He was "practicing" for the Christmas gifts we plan to make, but he did so well.  He was just full of pride!  And he was absorbed for a while finishing his task - always careful to make sure the sharp needle didn't prick his fingers.  I love watching them fall in love with creating.

We've had some leftover ham in the fridge for a bit which needed using up.  I was going to make a potato ham chowder, then I thought we could do a ham quiche.   I ended up making a simple casserole.  And I'm so glad I did.  Roasted potatoes, steamed broccoli and ham, drizzled with olive oil, a dash of salt and sprinkled with cheese.  Nothing fancy, but 100% comfort food.  And there you have it, Sunday dinner!  :)  

I found this recipe here and I made a few minor adjustments.  It is really a delicious recipe for caramel popcorn and my little ones gobbled it all up in no time.  (Guess that means we need a double recipe for the future...)  I also love that it doesn't have corn syrup involved.  Plus, it takes very little time to throw it all together.  Hope you enjoy it as much as we did.

VEGAN CARAMEL POPCORN

1/2 cup maple syrup

1 tsp salt (can cut it to 1/2 tsp if desired)

1 tsp vanilla extract

3 Tbsp sunflower oil

6 cups air popped corn (I think it's like 1/3 cup kernels?)  

Pour maple syrup into a small pot.  Heat until boiling.  Add rest of ingredients except salt and keep stirring over heat for about 2-3 minutes.  (Turn heat down only if about to overflow.)  Pour over popcorn and mix well.  Sprinkle salt and mix well.  Place on baking tray and spread evenly.  Bake at 300 degrees F for 10 minutes.  Remove from oven and let cool.  Break into pieces

A little fishy

On Saturday, D took the two older kids fishing with M's Godfather at Heart Lake Conservation.  (Oh how they loved it!)  They got filthy playing in the mud and with the bait.  J wanted to bring home some worms as pets.  And M caught two fish.  Tiny fish.  But that didn't matter to him.  He kept telling me that he could help find food for us to cook and eat now.  (What a sweet little monkey!)

Anyhow, I got a chance to put my feet up, and then S and I made salsa.  First time.  Also, we made tomato paste.  Another first.  They are both just delicious.  I can't tell you how something as simple as tomato paste can be so delicious, but it is.  You can taste the sunshine and the earth.  (Not literally... that would probably taste terrible... the earth part especially.)  But I had no idea that you needed a bazillion tomatoes for one measly jar!  Oh well.  I used this recipe for the salsa, but omitted the peppers.  Our kids have milder tastes, but I did add fresh ground black pepper.  It did the trick.  A mild salsa just bursting with flavour.

By the way, that photo is some of M's math.  He is trying to memorize the multiplication facts.  It is a bit of a long process, I think, but he just loves it.  He brought this chart out by himself and started filling it in for fun.  That's how I can tell he's into math - it's fun work for him!

So this past weekend was all about tomatoes.  And cleaning.  And fish.  :)  And perhaps a little cookery on the side.

Looking forward some apple picking with the whole family this weekend!  Cheers!

In a pickle

Rain-washed air smells so fresh, so clean, so wholesome.  You can't help but take extra deep breaths as you inhale its scent.  I love being outside right after a storm, especially in the quiet of evening.  When nature itself rests, absorbs, and covers the earth with a tranquil garment of peace.  The stars twinkle, the crickets chirp, a few fireflies glow softly.  Everything is soft, everything is peaceful, ready for its nightly rest and renewal.  

My soul is somehow renewed, strengthened by these moments,  And in a way I cannot completely understand.  As if the soul is able to assimilate an unearthly peace, a glimpse of God Himself through His handiwork.  What beauty, what richness, what blessing!

Amid these thoughts, it seems a little odd to reminisce on the past week.  We were supposed to head to Quebec this weekend, but our plans had to be cancelled due to an unfortunate last minute occurance.  However, it ended up working out beautifully for this tired mama.  We had a lovely Sunday, though it wasn't as flashy as some.  We finally got a couple bags of cucumbers from the  farmer's market.  (Along with tomatoes and fresh eggs of course!)  Last night we finished preparing them and getting them into jars.  I use this recipe in a general way and we add our own seasoning to taste.  I always have fresh grape leaves in my freezer (usually for stuffing) and we've used them with lots of success in the past.  The pickles really do stay crunchy, even over many months.  That's my little helper in the picture above posing with our jars of pickles.  He is eagerly waiting for fermentation, and plans on helping to burp the jars as needed.  :)  What a darling that little man is.

On Monday we went blueberry and corn picking at Andrew's.  The kids had the time of their lives playing in the bushes and on the climbing structures afterwards.  The berries weren't as ripe as we wanted, but that didn't stop the little ones.  Oh no.  Look at that little munchkin in the bushes stuffing her face with berries.  That makes me happy - watching them wading through bushes checking under leaves, finding a ladybug, chasing a butterfly, purple smears on their hands and mouths.  It just feels so right.  Children need to be connected to nature, to the outdoors, to life.  It's so easy nowadays to plunk them in front of the screen and leave it at that.  But this?  This is what they thrive on!

A simply beautiful day.  Wishing for many more days like these...

Pie squared

A random post to share a discovery that I have no doubt the rest of the world already knows: You can make pie dough in a food processor.  Oh yes.  I have spent years, decades in fact, not knowing this fact.

But now, I know.  And that is why we have not one, but TWO pies cooling on the stove right now.  Making dough takes a grand total of 3 minutes with a food processor.  Literally.  Butter goes in with flour.  Pulse until crumb-y, add water bit by bit until dough forms a ball.  Done.  What a revelation!

Now, I'm all for knowing the old non-electricity-requiring ways.  For obvious reasons, perhaps.  (Imagine if the power went out for an extended period of time...)  But to have such convenience available is a luxury I have only just discovered.  We don't have a lot of space in the kitchen and elsewhere for that matter, so we have to pick and choose what we keep.  And I have to say that our food processor is truly the star of the kitchen.  It is the most used appliance I have.  (Well, that and maybe the blender for the kids smoothies or jam.)

Anyhow, what started the whole pie thing was a delightful bag of apples from my cousin, who had picked them from her backyard tree.  What a gift!  They were so tart and sour, they were begging to be made into pie.  Around the same time, I noticed a bowl of blueberries leftover from jam-making and in need of attention.  So instead of choosing, I made two pies.

There you go.

No such thing as too much pie, right?  :)

A substitute machine and French baguettes

I haven't been crocheting like usual this little while.  It's not that I lack motivation, more like time.  Also, any time I've set aside has gone into some sewing projects.  When she heard my machine broke, one of my dear aunts lent me her sewing machine.  

This machine is just phenomenal!  So smooth, so responsive.  I don't know how I'm going to go back to my other one once I get it fixed.  :)  Thank you for your thoughtfulness, Aunt Annie!  

From our kitchen, to yours, I feel compelled to share one of the best bread recipes we've ever made!  Certainly the easiest and fastest and most convenient.  And all thanks to a posting from my friend, Yanic.  (Thank you, Yanic!)  I can't wait to try it with whole wheat or sprouted wheat flour.  Yum!

It didn't take long to make at all.  I started them around 2pm and the loaves were finished before dinner.  We had them with a hearty lasagna.  Actually, we started eating them before, technically.  The kids love home made bread when it's fresh and still warm from the oven.  It reminds me of my own childhood.  :)  It's honestly fantastic bread - you won't regret making it!  

Here are my babies being helpful.  M is doing my dishes, and J is doing her dishes.  They love water play.  Anything with water and they'll spend hours quietly finishing the task.  Love these darlings.  

This is my little man making music.  J was given a harp for her birthday and we have all been enjoying it.  J and M really genuinely love to play.  

Wishing you days filled with the sound of music!



Joining Nicole and friends for this week's Keep Calm Craft On.

Weekend tidbits and a little garlic

A little crafting going on these days...

Almost done J's messenger bag.  Just have to sew in the lining and voila!  She'll have a sweet little bag to carry her treasures around.  Of course, it's almost impossible to keep things secret around here, so she knows she's getting a messenger bag.  I haven't shown her the final product though.  Last night I stayed up late pinning the lining to the outer bag... which leaves everything inside out.  Which means she can't see the bag itself, only the lining and even that is inside out.  Anyhow, best I can do under the circumstances.  Can't wait to show it off!

The kids made safety pin angels this weekend.  They strung beads onto safety pins, and then onto wires to shape into angels.  A sweet craft, but perhaps a bit much for little hands.  At least so I thought until yesterday when M brought me a whole bunch of safety pins he had strung with beads all by himself unbeknownst to me.  Basically they just needed to be strung on the wire and tied up.  Awesome!  I love being surprised like that!  (Although I think M surprised himself just as much...)

As for yarn crafting, that's kind of an ongoing given.  I am working on a few more hats right now and I hope to share them later this week.  Of course, I am hoping to share finished products by then, but who knows what will pop up in the meantime, so I'll leave it open.  :)

Oh dear, the laundry is piling up a bit and I can start to see the little mountain from where I sit.  As usual, it's not so much dirty clothes, just the clean clothes waiting to be folded.

And of course, illness is still our companion.  This time it's residual nightly coughing and an ear infection for baby.  It was painful for her, but we went the natural route this time and she is doing much better.  (We were so thankful that our doctor was supportive of this course.)  Her treatment was quite helpful in getting her comfortable especially for sleep time.  Nothing fancy: warm, garlic-infused olive oil drops for her ear, saline rinses for her nose, and managing her fever and pain with ibuprofen or acetaminophen.  And I have to say, she's a champ this girl of ours.  Didn't even flinch when we give her the saline drops up her nose.  Same with the ear drops.  I think the oil drops actually helped with the pain, but what do I know.  Regardless, she seems to be back to normal in less than 24 hours.

I am a huge fan of the more natural, herbal remedies whenever possible.  This recipe for the ear drops is pretty basic and really easy to make.  I usually make a fresh batch each day and administer it ever 4 hours or so along with tylenol.  She acts a little weird after I've put it in, but 5 minutes later she's a different baby - definitely happier.  And the healing time seems so fast - ours lasted for about 24 hours.  If you ever have a child with an ear infection, I would really encourage you to try this out.  (Just don't use it on a child with a perforated eardrum.)  Both olive oil and garlic are antiviral and antibacterial (amongst many other things!) so they're perfect for the job.  All this being said, I should also mention that I am no doctor, so please make sure to check with your doc beforehand.  

GARLIC-INFUSED OLIVE OIL EAR DROPS

2 cloves garlic,
4 Tbsp olive oil

Chop and then mash garlic so that it's crushed thoroughly.  Place in a small glass jar or cup and pour olive oil over it.  Allow it to steep for about 15 minutes.  Strain mixture through a clean cotton cloth scrap into another glass jar.  Warm gently by placing glass jar in a cup of hot water for a few minutes.  Test on inner wrist before administering.  Should be just slightly warm, not hot.  Gently administer a drop in the affected ear every so often to help with discomfort and swelling.



Joining Nicole and friends for this week's Keep Calm Craft On.  

Cookery

The kitchen is the heartbeat of our home.  There is always something going on here.  Always a gathering of bodies, foods, projects.  Here is some of the cookery we've been up to during the week...

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:: Chocolate chip muffins.  A kid-suggested project to be sure.  Actually, my girl suggested cookies, and I modified to muffins.  I wish we made blueberry instead of chocolate chip.  Next time.  For the record, we are (apparently) trying to fit in as many sweets as possible before Advent starts on the 15th!  Stay tuned for sugar-high updates...

:: I was trying to add some veggies to our regular mac n' cheese.  Had some kale that needed

eating up, so I tried it.  Not the greatest.  And I think it was due to the fact that I didn't cook the kale long enough before draining and adding to the macaroni.  Live and learn.

:: This epic crème caramel was, my Teta's recipe.  I promised to post it and I've finally come through!  (Hurray!)  I have been playing around with the technical aspects of the recipe and finally got one of the smoothest custards ever.  The trick?  Take it out before it looks finished.  I promise, it actually is.  In fact, I could have taken mine out even earlier than I did since, as you can see, there are little holes forming throughout the custard... we don't want those, obviously. (I left it much longer than 60 minutes.)  This recipe is for a casserole caramel, but it looks much nicer in photos if you do them in ramkins.  Unfortunately you'd have to adjust the cooking time from what I have here, and I haven't tried it out, so I can't really speculate.  (I imagine something closer to 30 minutes would be fitting?)   

:: Cheese pies.  Filled with a mixture of feta and mozzarella.  Perfect for kids on the go.  Haven't made them in a while, but I'm so glad I finally did.  I had some frozen dough that I wanted to use up.  I think next time I'll make these spinach pies.  Yum!  

Have a great weekend!  

ISABELLE'S CRÈME CARAMEL

2 loaf pans

½ cup sugar

1 cup sugar

½ cup sugar

8 cups milk

8 eggs

1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.  Take ½ cup sugar and melt in pot until it caramelizes into golden or amber liquid – don’t stir and don’t brown too much.  (Lower temperature when mostly liquid, but keep heating until there are no lumps or grains left.)  Pour this liquid sugar equally into the bottom of both pans, swirl to coat evenly and set aside. 

Put milk, vanilla and 1 cup of sugar into a large pot.  Scald the milk (heat until hot, but not boiling) then turn heat off.  Put eggs and ½ cup sugar in a large bowl.  Whisk until well combined.  Add milk bit by bit in a very slow stream to eggs, whisking constantly.  (Don’t add quickly or you’ll cook the eggs.)  Strain mixture through a large sieve, then pour into to the two pans equally. 

Place 2 pans in a long baking pan (with high edges).  Fill the baking pan half-way with hot water from the tap.  Bake in oven until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the centers – about 60 minutes, but check often around the 45 minute mark.  The centers will jiggle like jello, but don’t worry they will firm up upon cooling.  The surface should look smooth with a slight golden colour, but no bubbling or curdling around the edges.  (If you overcook the crème caramel it will curdle and have a cottage cheese-like texture.)

Remove from baking pan and let cool to room temperature.  Place in fridge to chill.  (Can be stored in the fridge for a day or two if needed.)  When ready to serve, run a knife around the sides to loosen.  Place a deep serving dish on top of loaf pan, invert quickly and give it a gentle shake to unmold.    What you should have is a light caramel custard surrounded by a pool of golden caramel sauce. 

Joining Heather and friends for This Week In My Kitchen blog hop.  

Kitchenry

The kitchen is the heartbeat of our home.  There is always something going on here.  Always a gathering of bodies, foods, projects.  Here are some of the things we've been up to during the week...

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This morning we are making a batch of pumpkin-apple butter, so I am shuttling back and forth between the stove and the computer.  Which of course means I am going to fire away here without much ado.  

:: Roasting our pumpkin.  It was a small one, and I think next time I'll get bigger.  Big enough to make a pie alongside the pumpkin butter.  

:: Can't forget the seeds.  We love nuts and seeds around here.  We washed, salted and roasted these in the oven with a just a smidgen of oil.  You can leave out the oil if you wish.  

:: Turkey pot pie.  It's a challenge to use up leftovers in creative ways, but sometimes things work out awesome.  :)  It looks time consuming, but it's really so simple to throw together.

:: Ginger cake with spiced buttercream.  It's as good as it sounds.  Just a hint of sweetness - nothing like those cloyingly sweet iced cakes.  

:: Roasted chicken for dinner.  And then the carcass became the broth for some chicken soup.  Just the thing with the weather turning.  This chicken feeds us for 3-4 meals.  Two with the chicken itself and two with the soup.  (Maybe one with the just the chicken if D is ravenous.)  I add as many veggies as I can, or have on hand to our soups.  I don't know why.  I just feel that they are better.  Kids will eat almost anything in chicken noodle soup.  

:: We are really big into soups when things get chilly.  This is my (blurry) version of creamy cauliflower soup.  (Oh my but it was delicious!)  Dice an onion, then saute in a large pot until translucent.  Take a head of cauliflower, chop into small bits and pieces, wash, add to onions and saute until slightly browned.  Add chicken or vegetable stock - about 4 cups.  Let boil until cauliflower is tender.  While boiling, melt 1/4 cup butter in a saucepan.  Add 1/3-1/2 cup flour and whisk for 2 minutes.  Add 2 cups of milk and stir constantly until thickened.  Pour into big pot and stir.  Let boil, then turn off heat.  If desired, take about 100g of cheese (any kind you like) and shred it on top.  Stir until cheese has melted.  

:: Romano beans in a tomato sauce.  Kind of like stew, but vegan.  Amazing.  At least, it's a big favourite around here.  Kids love it with rice.  D loves it with salads, radishes, pickles.  

Well, that's it for this week.  Have a lovely weekend.  They're predicting snow this weekend!  :)


Joining Heather and friends for This Week In My Kitchen.  

Owl Hats Yarn Along

I am still crocheting those owl hats.  I had put them aside this past week, which means now I feel compelled to pick them up.  (Even guilt has its purposes...)  The colours don't show up as vividly in my photos, but they are very fun colours.  I also purchased some yarn to start a Christmas gift - a Rapunzel hat.  There are lots out there, but I haven't decided how it will look.  That'll be fun to mull over while I work on these owlies.

Currently I am reading (er, re-reading) Jane Eyre.  I am a bit of a romantic at heart, and this classic is a nice book to sit down to when I need to "turn off" or relax.  I am also reading (two books, I know!) The Spiritual Life by St. Theophan the Recluse.  It is profound.  Every sentence is full of wisdom and revelation.  It is deep enough that I can only get through a few pages at a time.  This book needs heavy reflection and digestion.  And yet, for all that, it's become one of my favourites.

And because I haven't remembered to before, and because it's been such a long time between recipe posts, and because they're just perfect for any occasion, I am posting the recipe for those chocolate chip cookies from last week.

CHEWY CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda + 2 tsp hot water
3 cups flour
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup white chocolate chips (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Cream sugars and butter together.  Add eggs one at a time, beating well.  Add vanilla.  Mix salt and flour together separately.  Add to butter mixture and blend well.  In a small cup, mix baking soda with hot water and add to dough, mixing well.  Add chocolate chips and stir until uniformly combined.  Scoop rounded teaspoons onto a baking sheet and bake for about 10-12 minutes.  (If your cookies are larger, they'll need to bake longer.)  Let cool before eating or storing.

Joining Ginny and friends for this week's Yarn Along.