Homemaking on the Homestead

  I shared a couple of days ago about making an apple pie.   I made my favorite Bosch pie crust recipe .   However the recipe makes 4 crusts.   So after making my apple pie I still had 3 crusts left.   I had a big #10 can of peaches sitting in my pantry.   So I made a peach pie.   I used another crust for the top.   That pie was eaten up in no time at all (1 pie, 7 people.. they go fast )..   anywho.. I had some fresh cranberries in the fridge and decided for my last pie crust I would make an apple cranberry pie.   This one was also gone by the next day!   I may need to make another 4 crusts just so I can enjoy some more pie making.   But before that I have our regular daily bread to bake (8 loaves) on my to-do list and then I want to make some cranberry bread too.   We will see how the day goes!    Peach Pie (from canned peaches) Crystal Miller 4 cups canned peaches, drained (this can be 2 quarts home canned or...

. Thanksgiving Planner Crystal Miller . .   3 weeks ahead of time  Figure out how many people will you be serving and how big of a turkey you will need. To calculate this, you need to figure about 1 ½ lbs of turkey per person. So if you are feeding 8 people you would need a turkey that was about 12 pounds. I usually buy them bigger so I will have leftovers.    Write out guest list   Plan out menu   Gather recipes   Write out grocery list   2 weeks ahead Buy turkey (if buying frozen ones)   Make dinner rolls and freeze. I like to freeze them before baking. I shape them into rolls; lay them out on a tray and flash freeze them. On Thanksgiving Day I bring them out in the morning to defrost and rise.    If your guests are contributing to the meal let them know what you would like them to bring.   1 Week Ahead Clean out your fridge to make room for the added food items   IF you have not bou...

  Fall is definitely here on the homestead!   The leaves are changing and falling off the trees.   We have had several days of dry and beautiful weather.   I took a few pics yesterday morning to share…   Last night Sierra and I decided to bake an apple pie.   She peeled apples while I made the pie crust.   I used my favorite Bosch pie crust recipe .   I have 3 crusts leftover so I will be making some more pies this weekend!   I used my favorite apple pie recipe and Emily stopped and picked up vanilla ice cream on her way home last night..   it was yummy!   But now the pie is gone.. except for one piece I managed to save for Tobin.   He will enjoy his apple pie and ice cream later this morning..   What kind of fall baking has been going on in your kitchen??    

  . Sunday Baked chicken legs Mashed potatoes Salad   Monday Salmon chowder Dinner rolls Salad   Tuesday Homemade pizza   Wednesday Bbq beef Brown rice Salad   Thursday Navy bean soup Whole wheat crackers Salad   Friday Leftovers   Saturday Lasagna Soft bread sticks Salad   Sunday Chicken noodle soup Whole wheat crackers Salad    

  This week has been busy! Hubby survived his surgery and is being a fairly good patient..   the soft food thing is getting to him.   But he is healing and still has more work to be done.   The cleaning and organizing continues.   The upstairs is done now!   I have my bedroom to tackle and then I am done!   Yea!   The most exciting news is from my son.   His fiancée Doneza has had her VISA approved!   They will be spending the month of November with her family and then the two of them will be flying home the beginning of December.   Then it will be the holidays and planning a wedding!   We are so excited!!    My daughter Hannah and granddaughter Elizabeth both are recovering from the swine flu.   But according to Hannah.. it is not as bad as the media is making it out to be.   Which does not surprise me because I think the whole swine flu thing is a lot of hype and you could not PAY me to get vaccinat...

  Saturday was the College Plus meet up here in the Northwest.   College Plus kids often meet together in various locations.   Sometimes it is a group and sometimes just one on one.   The students get to know each other on the CP forums and then will start the planning if there seems like enough interest.   This time those who gathered were mostly from Washington State and there was one student from Oregon who joined as well.      Four kids arrived at our house on Friday night.   They were coming from Eastern Washington and had about a 5 hour drive and wanted to arrive early.   They stayed the night at our house.   In the morning I fixed everyone English muffin breakfast sandwiches and orange juice.   Emily , Leanne and the 4 of them left and headed into Portland and met with the rest of the people at the Portland Rescue Mission for a morning of volunteering.   Some did yard work or organizing supplies and other vario...

  My son, Richard, left last Thursday for Manila .   He arrived safe and sound after 20+ hours of flight time.   He met up with his sweetie and they are having a great time.   She has her interview later this week so we are all praying it goes smoothly.   Then they fly to her home town and he will spend the month of November with her family before they both head back here.      I have been doing a little pre baking and cooking for this upcoming weekend.   My daughter Emily is having a College Plus get-together for those that live in the Northwest area.   They will be doing a service project for most of the day on Saturday.   They will be volunteering their time at the Portland Rescue Mission and then heading back here to our home.   I will be serving them lunch.   Right now it looks like about 14 people plus my family.   I think it will be a lot of fun.   So far my menu plan to feed this crew is a big pot of ch...