Thank You's and I Am Such a Wuss!

I want to thank everyone that commented on my quandary about selling our sheep. Your kind words and comments really helped!
I had really never confronted a problem like that, but now, I know that regardless of where I live, I will probably encounter it more often.
I figured out that I most definitely lost a few bucks by selling the sheep as low as I did. But I felt better about where they ended up.
Which brings me to:
Am I too much of a wuss to sell livestock for meat purposes?
I really love each and every animal we have here.
Okay, except for those dang stupid Buff Orphington hens!
But the goats, rabbits, alpacas, geese, etc.And quite a few of the chickens.
We have butchered a young male goat before (and he was delicious!) and I was okay with that. But then, I knew how he was going to be slaughtered and everything.
I could butcher out a chicken or two or three if needed...as long as it wasn't Nugget, or Cab or Betty or Inky or Bo or, well, any of our hens that I have gotten close to. Which means I could butcher out any of the Buffs and most of the Reds...except Rosie. I like Rosie. And Calypso, our remaining Ameracuna.She's cute.
See what I mean!
Maybe if I had a flock of 300 sheep I could sell the culls willy-nilly without worrying about how each would be slaughtered.
I guess.
The Darlin' Man thinks I should stick to dairy animals...I dunno. I want to raise pigs and beef cattle, too and ducks for the table, etc once we move North, but I am beginning to second guess myself now.
I guess this is something I will have to think about.
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While I am thinking, I'll have one of my favorite snacks...with no meat involved!

Carrot-Raisin Salad

2 cups grated raw carrot
1 cup crushed pineapple or pineapple tidbits with juice
1/2 to 1 cup raisins (depends on how much you like raisins)
1/4 to 1/2 cup walnut pieces or pecan pieces if you have them (really not necessary, but nice to add)

Mix all of the above together, chill for a couple hours or overnight, serve! I like to serve mine in a lettuce cup.

Monday Morning Ramblings

It's Monday morning and I have started the dough for bread (6 to 8 loaves for the week) and started the Darlin' Mans laundry. His unit had to go out in the field last week (I call it a *camping trip*) from Monday until Friday, so he has presented me with a weeks worth of laundry and a rather dusty duffle bag.
So, while the bread dough rises and the laundry churns, I figured I would just ramble a bit about some things that have been on my mind this morning.
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The repercussions of the Sandy Hook shooting continue to spread. I hear now that managers of Wal-Mart stores have been told by *corporate* not to order ammo to restock. Some online stores  have pulled all guns and gun parts. For how long? Who knows.
I suspect there is much more going on than what the media has told us. The *facts*, as presented, simply do not "add up". Victims were identified by photos only, family members/parents were not allowed to see the bodies for identification or to say goodbye, and a *group* is the spokesperson for the parents---even to the point that VP Biden had to go through the spokesman group to speak to any of the parents.
As my dad used to say "there's something screwy going on".
False Flag event? Maybe.
Evil? Definitely.
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As we plan our move and look at more and more properties, I have convinced the Darlin' Man that it makes WAY more sense to have a *ready pantry* and no cabinets. I showed him picture after picture of kitchens from the 1700s on up to the 1930s and he saw the sense and frugality of it. It didn't hurt that I got him to sit down and watch a home improvement show where they redid a kitchen. The cabinets ALONE were over 14 thousand dollars! I told him I would rather buy a few better appliances (such as a good wood stove!) than have those silly cabinets...most of which have been constructed with fiberboard backs (glorified cardboard!) and other cheap components.
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If you get RLTV, watch this show: A Taste of History . Oh My Goodness! This chef cooks all his recipes in spider pans and cast iron dutch ovens, etc., in an open hearth fireplace.
Spider pan for those that don't know:

Seriously...it made me want to figure out a way to have an open hearth fireplace in my kitchen! The recipes are easily adaptable to be made on a stove or in an oven, but still, the romantic in me thinks everything would taste better being cooked on an open hearth!
RLTV is for the over 50 among us. Yes, we now have an *old geezer* network, as the kids here say.
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Speaking of cooking, I had a minor meltdown yesterday at lunch when I found out I was missing a needed ingredient for a recipe I had planned to make for lunch. That drives me CRAZY! Especially when I find out the ingredient was casually snacked into oblivion by people I normally hold great affection for!
Recipe:
Apple-Walnut-Chicken Salad Wraps
1 cup cooked chicken, diced
2 cups peeled apples, diced
1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
1/2 cup golden raisins or dried cherries or dried cranberries
1/4 cup plain yogurt
3/4 cup mayo or miracle whip (I like the miracle whip). You might want to use more or less. Depends on personal tastes.
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Romaine lettuce
Whole wheat tortillas or *wraps*
Directions: Mix everything except lettuce and wraps together until moistened. Can be covered and chilled in refrigerator overnight or used immediately.
Warm tortillas or wraps (makes them flexible so they don't crack), put torn romaine lettuce on wrap/tortilla. Put 3 or 4 tablespoons of apple chicken mix on lettuce, wrap up like a burrito, serve!

Anyway...my walnuts were gone. Also my golden raisins. So I made a stir fry for lunch instead.
 And I think I am gonna hide my fancy recipe fixin's next time!
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I have not yet sold the sheep, so I think I am going to drop the price on the CL ad.
Going over all the critters here with the Darlin' Man, we made some decisions for the move AND for what we will raise in the future.

Chickens....we will definitely keep going with chickens!  HOWEVER...I will NOT raise Buff Orphingtons again! Yeah, yeah, I know there are a lot of Buff devotees out there, but all the ones we have had are horrible, stubborn, peck-y, hateful birds! I don't know what breed we will go with, but NO MORE BUFFS!

Turkeys: The Darlin' Man loves the turkeys. Me? Ehhhh...not so much. He wants to continue to raise them, so I have told him that that ball is totally in HIS court! Same with the peafowl and the exotic pheasants he also wants to raise.

Geese and Ducks: I like them, so I suspect we will raise them when we move. Besides...what is better than roasted duck with that luscious crispy skin.....drooooooooool!

Alpacas and Goats will definitely go with us and continue to be with us where-ever we go! I want to add some other goat breeds in...some Saa'an and some Swiss Alpine.

I also want a couple of cows, a horse and the fella wants a mule. We also want sheep...just gotta settle on a breed. Still in discussion.

Rabbits? Not so sure. The Darlin' Man doesn't like rabbit meat, I do, so this is still under discussion.
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Well, the washer is finished with the first load, so I have to hang them up and start another load. I suspect I will do around 10 loads before I am done. The bread dough is still rising, but I'll be punching it down and shaping loaves within an hour or so.
Happy Monday to all!

Let's Hear It For Lentils!

Lentils are wonderful. I make them plain and serve them with a nice curry poured over them or add them to soups and stews.
If you haven't tried lentils, why not? They are fairly inexpensive and good for you. A great addition to your food storage, as well, as they store well.

From Wikipedia"

With about 30% of their calories from protein, lentils have the third-highest level of protein, by weight, of any legume or nut, after soybeans and hemp.^[4] Proteins include the essential amino acids isoleucine and lysine, and lentils are an essential source of inexpensive protein in many parts of the world, especially in West Asia and the Indian subcontinent, which have large vegetarian populations.^[5] Lentils are deficient in two essential amino acids, methionine and cysteine.^[6] However, sprouted lentils contain sufficient levels of all essential amino acids, including methionine and cysteine.^[7]
Lentils also contain dietary fiber, folate, vitamin B₁, and minerals. Red (or pink) lentils contain a lower concentration of fiber than green lentils (11% rather than 31%).^[8] Health magazine has selected lentils as one of the five healthiest foods.^[9] Lentils are often mixed with grains, such as rice, which results in a complete protein dish.
Lentils also have antinutritional factors, such as trypsin inhibitors and relatively high phytate content. Trypsin is an enzyme involved in digestion, and phytates reduce the bioavailability of dietary minerals.^[10] The phytates can be reduced by soaking the lentils in warm water overnight.
Lentils are a good source of iron

Lentil Soup

• 1 onion, chopped
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can crushed tomatoes or 5 or 6 chopped up fresh tomatoes with juice
• 2 cups dry lentils (I use green lentils for this, but orange ones or red are fine, too)
• 8 cups water
• 1/2 cup spinach, rinsed and thinly sliced OR Swiss Chard thinly sliced (no stems, just leaves)
• salt to taste
• ground black pepper to taste

 In a large soup pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions, carrots, and celery; cook and stir until onion is tender. Stir in garlic, bay leaf, oregano, and basil; cook for around 4 or 5 minutes. Stir in lentils, and add water and tomatoes. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer for at least 1 hour. When ready to serve stir in spinach, and cook until it wilts.

Lentils can be used a meat substitute in your favorite chili recipe, or cooked and drained and pressed into a loaf pan to make a loaf similar to meat loaf.

Give it a try!

Lentil Loaf 

• 1 1/4 cups  lentils
• 2 1/2 cups water
• 6 slices  bread, torn into small pieces
•  3 eggs
• 1 cup vegetable broth or chicken broth (or 1 veggie or chicken bullion cube dissolved in one cup hot water)
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder or 1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley or 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 cup diced green pepper
• 1/2 cup diced onion
• 1/2 cup dried bread crumbs OR, if you want to be creative, try pretzel crumbs (seriously, I tried this and it was yummy! Just whirl up a few pretzels in the blender)
• OPTION, 1/2 cup shredded cheese. I usually use sharp cheddar or pepper jack!

1. Combine lentils and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until tender, about 40 to 50 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C). Grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan.
3. In a large bowl, mix together 2 cups cooked lentils, bread, eggs, broth, tomato paste, basil, garlic powder, black pepper, salt, paprika, parsley, olive oil, peppers and onion. Spread into prepared loaf  pan.
4. Bake for 40 minutes. Top with grated cheese (if desired). Sprinkle top with dry bread crumbs, and continue baking another 10 minutes. Let sit for 10 minutes before serving. 

Recipe for Christmas Eve-Eve

Tonight we decided to cook a meal together....we all wanted Chinese.
Egg rolls and rice.
The rice was easy....
Here's the tutorial for the egg rolls:
Ingredients:
1 cup cooked chicken, shredded or minced tiny
1 cup baby bok choy or Chinese cabbage,cut tiny
1/2 cup shredded carrot
1/2 cup celery, cut tiny
1/4 cup green onions,cut tiny
1 Package Egg Roll wrappers or Spring Roll wrappers
 1 tablespoon red bean paste
1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
Directions:
Mix all ingredients together in large bowl until thoroughly mixed.

Lay wrapper out flat on smooth surface (we used a cutting board) fill,and roll up as shown in following pictures:

 Wet the tag end of the wrapper with water and finish rolling.

Now, gently lower egg rolls into pan with 1/2 inch of hot oil in it.I used vegetable oil.

Remove from oil, drain on paper towels and serve with hot rice and dipping sauce.

Dipping sauce recipes:
Hot and Spicy:
1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons bean paste
2 tablespoons hot sauce (I suggest Sirachi)
1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
Mix all of the above well and put in small bowls on table.

Sweet and Sour Dipping Sauce
1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon red bean paste
2 tablespoons vinegar
Mix all of the above together and put in small bowls on table for dipping.

Granola Recipe!

I just made my annual Yule granola. I give it for presents. First batch toasting in the oven and the house smells heavenly!
Small batch recipe:
8 cups rolled oats
1 cup dried cranberries (or dried cherries)
1 cup hazelnuts, coarsely chopped
1 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
(or you can use almonds and pecans)
1 cup golden raisins (or use regular raisins)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
Mix all the above together in a big bowl.
Now, in a saucepan combine the following:
2/3 cup vegetable oil
1 cup light brown sugar (packed)
1 cup honey
heat it until everything is melted into a syrup. Stir it well.
Add 2 teaspoons of vanilla, stir in well

NOW, drizzle the syrup over the granola mix in the bowl and stir it well to mix. Spread the granola on buttered cookie sheets and spread mixture out evenly. Put in 325 degree oven for 25 minutes or until golden, stirring occasionally.
Let cool completely. Package in jars or ziplock bags or tins. Will stay good about a month, but will get eaten LONG before the month is over! Eat with milk as a cold cereal, hot milk for a hot cereal, or just munch on it out of the bag!

This makes a lot. I normally make three or four batches this size and package it up for presents.

The New Goat Palace

The New Goat Palace is finished!
First, a few pictures:

As you can see, Gabby and Champagne are already comfortably settled. I know it looks a bit strange, the tall roof structure in the middle, but there is a method in our madness. The side panels for the little goat house in the middle are easily removable. They hang and are stabilized at the bottom.. We install them when cold weather hits.We hadn't installed them yet when I took these pics.
I moved Nina and Lily in with Patches in the milking doe pen so she wouldn't be lonely. When she gets closer to her due date, she'll be moved to the new goat palace.
The plan is that the new kids will (eventually) populate the new goat palace, the milking does will be in the milking does pen and the bucks and wethers will be in the main goat pen.
So THAT project is done. I'll take a pic after we have the panels up for cold weather.
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On to cookie recipes.
Do you make Rice Krispie Treats? So do I! They are quick and easy.
But............kind of boring after a bit.
I follow the basic recipe and add my own twists.
Other things I add:
Semi-sweet chocolate chips
Walnut pieces
Pecan pieces
M & M's (red and green or Christmas, pastel ones at Easter)
Slived almonds
A bit of cinnamon
Salted peanuts or mixed nuts
Drizzle chocolate on top
Some of my cajeta
Or I skip the Rice Krispies completely and use Chex Mix!
It is so easy to play with the basic recipe. The kids favorite is walnuts and semi-sweet chocolate pieces
My fav is pecans and some cajeta mixed in..Or salted peanuts and cajeta mixed in. Good stuff!
Use your imagination and go with what you like!