I gave the recipe for "soup base" the other day.  If you do not have soup base, you can use 1 quarts worth of bought stewed tomatoes.  (I think that would be about 3 cans)

3 Bean Crockpot Chili

1 Qt. soup base

1 lb ground beef

1 cup each dried--kidney, black, & pinto beans

3 T. chili powder

2 T. ground cumin

OR you could use 1 pkg chili seasoning

The night before, put beans in bowl covered with water to soak overnight. You can add 2T. lemon juice or whey to the water, if desired (This has different health reasons but it's optional)

In the morning, drain & rinse beans.  Brown the ground beef seasoning with salt & pepper, if desired. 

Place all ingredients in crockpot and add about 6 cups water.  Cook all day. 

Great served topped with some cheese and cornbread or crackers.  This freezes well & is even better as left-overs.

You can omit the meat if you prefer a vegetarian chili.

Vegetable Soup

1 Qt. soup base

1 bag mixed veggies

1 cup maccaroni

Place soup base & veggies in soup pot.  Add 2 cups water.  Bring to boil.  Add maccaroni & cook until tender.  Season w/salt & pepper to desired taste.  Serve.

This recipe would be usually for lunch around here or supper served with a sandwich.

Hearty Beef stew

1 Qt. soup base

1 can tomato paste

1 lb. venison or beef stew meat (bite size pieces-the smaller the more tender)

4-5 carrots, bite size

4-5 potatoes, bite size

1 cup red wine or beef broth (the wine is really good in this but broth is ok)

Mix soup base, wine or broth & tomato paste in crockpot until combined.  Add meat, carrots, & potatoes.  Cook on low all day. 

This also freezes well.  Serve with homemade bread & a salad on a cool fall or winter day.

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Soup Base

fresh tomatoes

green bell pepper

onion

garlic

basil

sugar (optional)

salt & pepper

Peel & core tomatoes.  Roughly chop and put in a big pot.  Add onion, bell pepper, basil, garlic, salt, pepper.  Stir and then add a little sugar to taste.  Bring to a boil and then simmer for about 20 minutes.  Cool a bit & freeze in freezer bags.  I do quart bags. 

When ready to use, set in sink until you can pour it from the bag.  Use as a soup base for just about anything you can think of. 

~I'll share some recipes of how I use this in future posts~

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We ended up having a wonderful time yesterday.  The children swam, shot their bb guns & played the guitar hero.  While my friend & I got to discuss everything from homeschooling to housework!  I so enjoy visiting with other moms who aren't judgemental.  No matter where we are in life we all go through struggles as well as great times.  It was also a blessing for me to get advice from a more experienced perspective.  She has children already grown as well as some our children's ages.

The hard part for me is to find someone I consider "normal."  I have met many homeschooling moms, but to talk to some of them you would think that their children are the most perfect of them all.  --Never complains about schoolwork, never get into any trouble, etc.  I don't dwell on the bad things, but lets get real!   My other issue is all the gossip & back stabbing that the MOMS seem to do.  I really don't care if Johnny's mom feeds them chicken nuggets & fish sticks all the time (Maybe that is all they could afford OR maybe that's all Johnny will eat at the moment.  Abby ate only cereal & maccaroni and cheese for a couple weeks once, but she ate!)  I don't want to hear all about Jenny's messy house (maybe she had been sick & didn't have time to clean when you dropped by unexpectedly!!!)

~I will kindly step off my soapbox now!

I made an easy & yummy cake yesterday.  I should have taken a picture, but it's too late now.  There is one piece left in the fridge & it belongs to Tyler.

Easy Breezy Blueberry Cake

1 white cake mix (and oil, eggs, water as directed on the box)

1-1/2 cups frozen blueberries

1/8 cup powdered sugar

1 tub whipped topping

Mix cake mix according to directions on box.  Toss blueberries in powdered sugar & fold into the batter.  Pour into greased & floured 9x13 cake pan.  Bake 350 for about 35 minutes or until done.  Cool on counter.  Frost with the whipped topping.  Cover & refrigerate overnight or until ready to serve.

Easy & yummy.

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We went blueberry picking a couple of weeks ago & used some of them in this delicious jam...

You will need the following:

clean jars  (I used 1 pint & 7 half-pints)

rings & lids

4 cups of crushed blueberries

7 cups of sugar

2 Tbs. lemon juice

1 package of sure gel

Get your ingredients ready

Before you really get started put on some great music.  I always enjoy cooking & cleaning with some great tunes on.  On this day we chose "Today's Country."

Now, rinse your berries & let them drain.  Be sure to pick out any stems, leaves, etc.

Put your lids on to boil while you do the following steps.

Crush the berries (I did it by hand) and measure out 4 cups.

Now put your crushed berries, lemon juice & pectin in the pot.  Turn on low & bring to a boil.

Now add the sugar all at one time & stir.  Bring to a rolling boil. (where it stays boiling even when stirred).  Boil like this for 1 minute.  It will look runny but it's ok.

Then pour into jars.  Leaving 1/4 in headspace. 

Wipe with a cloth to remove any jam from the rim.  

Put on lids & rings.

Carefully put into a boiling water bath for 15 minutes.

Remove & set on a towel to rest for about 24 hours. 

The lids should seal within the hour.  --If they pop up & down they did NOT seal.  You can still use the jam, but it needs to go in the fridge & not the pantry if unsealed.   If sealed set in the pantry for later use.

This jam is really good & it will "gel" up after a day or two. 

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Sunday:  Fish, fries, hushpuppies, cucumber salad

Monday:  Hamburger rice casserole, squash, salad

Tuesday:  Soft tacos, beans

Wednesday:  Quiche, tomato salad, cantaloupe

Thursday:  Crockpot chicken, baked potatoes, peas

Friday:  Chicken salad sandwiches, chips, fruit

Saturday:  Pinto casserole & salad

Hamburger rice casserole

1 cup rice

2 cups water

1/2 onion OR about 3 green onions

1lb (could use 1/2 if in a pinch) hamburger

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 cup hot water w/2 tsp beef bullion dissolved.

Cook rice in 2 cups water until done.  While that is cooking, in a separate skillet cook burger, onion, garlic & salt & pepper until browned.  Drain fat, if needed.

Combine this & the bullion water with the rice.  Pour into a casserole dish (greased)  and cover with cheese if desired.  Bake for about 20 minutes at 350.

Simple & yummy.

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Our banty hen hatched 3 little ones & our white leghorn hatched out 2 yellow & 1 black.  Our big rooster is a game type so he's pretty with lots of different colors so I guess that is why the color difference in babies.

Contrary to popular belief, game roosters are actually really nice...at least all of the ones we have ever had.  The hens are outstanding mothers (although we do not have any of the hens anymore).  They do not have the "sitting" instinct bred out of them like alot of the more common varities.

Tomorrow we are going to drive about 45 minutes away to buy some turkeys!!!  We are all looking forward to this. 

We have a goffer killing off my cucumber plants in the garden!  I am determined to get that bugger!  I'm flooding his trail tonight with the hose & setting out a trap.

Our tomatoes & corn are coming along nicely.  Big & bright green.  We also have lots of green tomatoes on the plants.

I have been trying to think about recipes to make with the tomatoes to can, & I decided that I probably will just can them chopped.  That way whatever I want to make I can just add the spices, meat, or whatever at that time. 

One of our favorite fresh summer treats is our version of pico-de-galo.

Fresh Pico

6 tomatoes

1 onion

2 jalepenos

2 cloves garlic

1/4 cup cilantro

juice of 1 lime (a couple of tablespoons)

1 tsp salt

Chop/dice everything up small.  Mix together in a bowl.  Sprinkle salt & lime juice & mix lightly.  Refrigerate until ready to eat.  Serve with chips.  --I like to put a little of this over scrambled eggs too!

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Today we have stayed around home.  We did our school work, got a load of laundry on the line, fed animals, cleaned up & swam! 

My attempt at going sugar-free is going pretty well so far.  The main thing is cutting out breads.  I have made a switch to eating the "bible" bread.  It is a flourless bread you can get at most health food stores.  There is a raisin one & a Genesis one that we like. --By we I mean Abigail & I.  Tyler will tollerate a piece or two, but he & Tim think a loaf of bread is a "must have."  I guess that's ok as long as I don't eat it!

On Monday I made a crockpot of lentil stew.  It was pretty good.  We ate the left-overs for last night's dinner.   The recipe is very easy & this is another that is easy on the budget.

Lentil Stew

1 bag lentils (1lb)

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped carrot

1/2 cup chopped celery

2-3 cloves garlic (I was out so I used garlic powder, about 1 tsp)

1 T. salt

1 tsp. pepper

1 stick real butter

Soak lentils overnight in water & 1 T. lemon juice.  In the morn, drain & rinse.  Put all ingredients in the crockpot & cover with water.  Cook on low all day.   

You could add some chopped ham or chicken to this if your family really needs some meat, but it was good just like that.  When we ate the left-overs on yesterday I added a bit of homemade chunky salsa & that made it REALLY good.  So next time I make this I may try to add a can of ro-tel or salsa.

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