Farmstead Meatsmith: Butchery Precepts

The Wednesday Review:

Reviewing books, products and more

This is a post about meat.  

You will see one dead chicken, and if you play the videos, 

you will see images from butchery.  

Dear carnivores, 

If you like fresh, local meat, you may be interested in learning how to butcher one day.  Even if you never butcher for yourself, it is useful to understand the process, the various cuts of meat, and how to use the more miscellaneous scraps you may acquire (backfat, pig's feet, et cetera).

I believe that when an animal is respectfully sacrificed for human consumption, every possible shred of the creature should be used, and nothing wasted.  To waste anything is to disrespect the sacredness of the creature we are consuming, in my opinion.

Homemade Deodorant That Works Better Than Dove Prescription Strength (made in one easy step)

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Dear hard-working (and thus sweaty),

I consider myself an expert on store-bought deodorants.

As in, I've tried them all.

I HATE sweaty arm-pits - for some reason, it just irks the heck out of me when my arms feel sticky and soggy!  Perhaps the rest of the world loves it, but I loathe it!

I thought I must just be super sweaty or something, because even the Dove Prescription Strength stuff wasn't doing the trick for me.  Never thought about the fact that maybe store-bought deodorant, like store-bought cookies, milk and many (but not all) other conventional products, was just inferior to homemade, mystery-ingredient-less pit stopper.

Well, perhaps I considered it, but then remembered that homemade deodorant is hard to make.  Not sure where I got that assumption, but pretty sure I believed it, because I mean, who makes deodorant, really?

I was inspired to make it by this post.  This stuff was about as hard to make as a peanut butter sandwich.  Warning: if you can't even make a peanut butter sandwich, you may not want to try this, in fact you may not want to try much of anything.  

My ultra-fancy tools (hard to find but well worth it).  Bowls, spoons, mixer or whisk, and an empty or almost-empty deodorant container and spatula.

The mysterious and esoteric ingredients, available from anywhere things are sold.  Coconut oil, baking soda, cornstarch, and a scent if you like.

Literally it was just a few ingredients from my kitchen (three, to be exact, with one optional add-in), blended together.  Done.

I warmed the coconut oil a little to make blending easier.

  

Then I easily blended in the baking soda and cornstarch, as well as a few drops of essential oil just for fun.  

Smoosh, smoosh!  I chilled it in the freezer for about two minutes because I am impatient, and smashed it all thickly together.

Look, empty deodorant container!  I just took out the last scrap of deodorant.  If you're worried about the homemade stuff melting through, you could leave a little store deodorant in the container as a plug.

I slobbed some of the homemade stuff into the deodorant container because I'm fancy like that, and put the rest in a jar for refills later. 

Wiped it down and put on labels to be snazzy (a good time for chalk labels?  I'd better order more).

Homemade Pit Stopper Better Than the Store Bought Stuff and Also Less Mysterious
I wasn't sure I trusted homemade deodorant yet, so when I mixed this batch up I made sure I had a little bit of the Real Stuff set aside.  The next day I threw the Real Stuff away and now just use the Good Stuff! This may be difficult to make on a hot day, as coconut becomes liquid at warm temperatures. 

You can buy empty deodorant containers online!  Here is an affiliate link: 5 Deodorant Empty Containers - for lotion bar, heel balm etc. (2 oz.)

1/4 cup (generously scooped) coconut oil, warmed to partially liquid
1/4 cup baking soda
1/4 cup arrowroot or corn starch
Optional: essential oil or pure extract for aroma, unless you used virgin coconut oil in which case it will smell like coconut, yum!

Using a blender or a vigorous fork, whip together ingredients.  Store in a jar and apply by hand, or cool until thick and pack into an empty deodorant container.

Note: If you are anxious try try it, you can make some now and then let it soften and pack it into an old deodorant container later!  When I was packing it in to the deodorant container, I chilled it in the freezer for just a few minutes and then stirred it together to get it evenly thick.  Also, if you keep your bathroom really hot, you should be warned that this will melt right out of your deodorant container unless you leave a little store deodorant in the container as a plug.

Using It: The Facts. When you initially swipe this on, your body heat will instantly melt the coconut oil and your arms will feel wet.  When this happened, I was horrified!  I hate spray-on or gel-like deodorants that feel wet.  Hate them!!  Even though I know you can leave your shirt off and let the deodorant dry, it never really does and I feel sticky and irritated all day.

However, in this instance I was pleasantly surprised to find that the deodorant dried instantly, by the time I could pull a shirt out of the drawer; and then miracle of miracles, I forgot I was wearing it all day!  I even wore two t-shirts and a sweatshirt and then ran eight errands (with a baby!), which generally would leave me sticky and damp under the arms.  When I got home that night I suddenly remembered I was testing homemade deodorant, and hurriedly took off my sweatshirt to see how soggy I was.  What?  No sticky?  No sweaty?  A miracle!!  I raced off to throw away my store-bought deodorant immediately!!

Did I mention that even with premium coconut oil, this is still cheaper than buying deodorant at the store, even with store coupons... ?

You can even store spare deodorant in the freezer now - what a fun way to freak your friends out!

Not sticky,

Mrs H
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Winter Salsa - Local, Organic, Cheap

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Dear amigos,

Mr H loves salsa.  I make it about every week, sometimes more often, when he is home.  How to keep it affordable, and made from local and organic ingredients even in the dead of winter?  We don't have cold frames for tomatoes and jalapenos won't grow here in winter, so we rely on canned and frozen ingredients from the summer prior!

Winter Salsa
If you like your salsa blended anyway, use a pure home-canned tomato sauce instead of chopped tomatoes; I sometimes use one quart sauce, one quart diced.  

2 quarts diced tomatoes
2 cups chopped, frozen onions
2 cups chopped, frozen peppers
2 cups raw corn, frozen (optional)
1 pint cooked or home-canned black beans (optional)
1/4 - 1/2 cup chopped frozen cilantro or 2 tbsp dried cilantro
1 canned or frozen habanero or jalapeno (more or less to taste)
Sea salt, to taste (several teaspoons, generally)
Freshly ground black pepper
Dried, ground garlic, garlic flakes, or coarse garlic salt
Ground cumin, to taste (2 tablespoons or more, generally)

Thaw frozen items; drain in a mesh strainer.  Drain tomatoes in mesh strainer, letting sit for several hours or pressing with a spoon to remove some of the extruded water.  Drain beans.  Chop pepper or throw in Vitamix with some of the tomatoes or sauce, and about half the onions and peppers.  Stir all ingredients together, season to taste, and serve fresh.

Dipping in,

Mrs H
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Pumpkin Puree: How to Make It, How to Use It

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Dear pompkin-lovers,

I really do love a good ol' pumpkin.  Last fall, I bought a trunk-load of pie pumpkins, and I've been gradually incorporating them into the kitchen.  Pumpkins can last for months in a cool, dry place (under our dining table), and I'm enjoying having fresh puree for now, but shortly I'll be roasting, pureeing and freezing them all in one big swoop to clear the space out.

Roasting Pumpkins
Use "Sugar Pumpkins" or "Pie Pumpkins" or "Sugar Pie Pumpkins" for this - they are small, usually about 2 - 4 lbs.  Do not attempt to use the large jack-o-lantern pumpkins for eating - they will be watery, stringy, tough, and nasty as they are bred for size, not food. They are definitely not edible! 

Preheat oven to 350. Wash pumpkin.

Halve pumpkins.  Remove seeds and set aside; scrape out the stringy pulp.  Cut pumpkin into wedges or halves and lay, flesh-side down, in a pan.

Roast for 45 minutes or until flesh is tender and soft when pricked with a fork.

Using a knife, your hands, or a spoon, scrape the flesh from the skin; discard skin (makes great compost!).

Puree the pumpkin flesh in a blender until fine and smooth.  1 pound of uncut pumpkin makes approximately 1 cup of blended puree.  Freeze in tubs and transfer to vacuum-seal bags, or freeze in ziplock bags like Miz Carmen.

Optional: If you want a less wet puree, more appropriate for blending into cheeses or butters and possibly more cooperative in some baking applications, or spooning into yogurt, then line a mesh strainer with cheesecloth and set over a bowl.  Pour in the puree and let it strain in a bowl overnight.  Discard the liquid and use the remaining puree as desired.

Pumpkin Seeds
You can roast seeds, but I prefer dehydrating them.  You can do this if you have more seeds than you want to roast all at once, or you can do it if you prefer to keep them as a "living food" and add to trail mixes or granola bars.  

Clean the fibrous threads of pumpkin off the seeds; rinse if desired.  Pat dry and spread evenly on a dehydrator tray; dry at 135 for several hours or until they are crispy and dry.  Store in an airtight container; freeze if they will be left for several months or more.

Using Pumpkin Puree

Pie Town USA: Perhaps the most obvious choice in our minds is a traditional American Pumpkin Pie!  Mix up your own pumpkin pie spice and blend it with the puree before freezing, if you are planning to make a lot of pies in the future.  If you're tired of Libby's recipe, try this allergen-free real-food Pumpkin Pie, based on the recipe from Nourishing Traditions. Note: Pie Town is a real place, and Mr H and I were there.  "There were three buildings," he later said, "and all of them said pie for sale!" They even have a Pie-O-Neer Cafe.  Truth is stranger than fiction!

Drink it Up: Stir puree into your hot drinks, or throw it in your smoothies.  (I'm in the testing phase for a pumpkin smoothie!  Cue pumpkins, bananas, creamy whole milk, pumpkin spice, honey, an egg white, vanilla ... is this breakfast, or is it dessert?!)

Layered: stack homemade yogurt, homemade granola, dried cranberries, and pumpkin puree!  Dig in for a hearty breakfast (or freeze for a dreamy snack).

Baked Delight: Add to brownies, pancakes, waffles or cakes with pumpkin puree; add it to banana bread, muffins, or other delights either in addition to or in place of butter or oil.

Stir it: stir pureed pumpkin in to wheat farina or Cream of Wheat, or oatmeal or groats.

A Dazzling List: Thousands of other bloggers have weighed in on this topic over time, and this blogger has collected 50 of the best ways to use puree (I can't vouch for all of them - many of them are not "real food" recipes, but they may spark your own ideas).

Blended: throw pumpkin puree in the Vitamix with cream cheese and a little cinnamon or honey.  Use it as a spread for toast and bagels!

Tired of Puree? If you don't want to puree your pumpkin, here's another fun recipe idea: Cut off the top, remove the seeds, and roast your dinner inside!

Soup on Tap: add the puree to a pot of soup to thicken and increase flavor.

Harvest Leather: Sweeten with sugar or maple syrup and pumpkin spice, and cook down until the volume reduces by about one third; spread on a dehydrator lined with parchment paper (NOT wax paper) or leather trays, and dehydrate for several hours or until the center is no longer tacky.  Cool before peeling from trays.

Canning Pumpkin? Are you low on freezer space?  It is possible to can pumpkin, but it's too dense to be pureed and canned: it has to be processed in cubes.  Follow the canning instructions here; when you want pumpkin puree, just strain out the water and puree the cubes.  The whole cubes (and their liquid) also make a great addition to soup!

Pumpkin Ice Cream: why say more?

Pompous as can be,

Mrs H
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Green Freeze Ice Cream: All Sweet, No Sugar

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Dear green,

Ever in the mood for something sweet?

That's what gets me - after dinner, I find myself hankering a little sweet note of completion to signal my brain that all is done, time to settle down for the night.

Of course, since we're skipping sugar entirely for Lent (sugar, not sweets*), I've been compelled to find creative outlets for this sweet tooth.  Which is what I should be doing anyway, since sugar is, well, not all that great for you to put it mildly.

The following recipe was motivated by something I saw the Vitamix guy doing at a display recently.  I hunted for the recipe for what he made and couldn't find it, so I approximated something close in my own kitchen and fell in love.

*Why say sugar, not just sweets?  I was more keen to get refined sugars out of my body than I was to live without sweetness for two score days.  Sugars are hidden in many things, so somebody cutting "sweets" out of their diet without doing a deeper investigation is probably still consuming sugar.  Since we buy one-ingredient foods, it's pretty hard for sugar to hide in our kitchen; and since I like sweetness, I enjoy being compelled to explore new ways to enjoy it without the aid of refined cane sugar!

This dessert is well worth the wait.  All 30 seconds of it.  Yes, this thing can be blitzed together in a fraction of the time it takes to remove a tub of ice cream from the freezer and find the scoop.  Forego refined sugars and artificial flavors, and consume this treat which will not only taste dreamy beyond dreams but actually move your body forward in the path of health!  Win, win, win.

Green Freeze Ice Cream
This treat reminds me of my friend Esther - I know she'd love it!  But she prefers her ice cream firm, rock-hard, actually, so if you are like her, scrape it into a tub and pop it in the freezer for a few hours.  If you want it firm but not too firm, add a teaspoon of vodka when blending: the vodka won't freeze, and will keep the ice cream somewhat moldable.  

1/2 to 1 cup cider or apple juice or 1/4 - 1/2 cup apple juice concentrate
Handful of green: kale or spinach
2 frozen bananas
4 cups ice cubes (1 1/2 trays, or approximately filling the Vitamix)

Put the ingredients in the Vitamix in the order listed (rule of thumb: softest items first).  Starting on the lowest speed, slowly increase speed to 10 and then to high.  Use the tamper as necessary until the sound of the engine changes (when an air pocket forms in the firm ice cream, and the blades just whir without resistance they are higher pitched) and the ice cream is frozen.

The whole process should take just a few minutes.  Don't over mix, or you'll unfreeze and cook it!

Enjoy immediately or spatula into a tub for freezing.

we like sweet little things

Slushing,

Mrs H

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Spices: Homemade Blends and a Well-Stocked Pantry

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Dear spicy ones,

Some people collect Cabbage Patch Dolls.  Others collect antique teapots.  I suppose you could say I collect spices!  Spices are a nice collection to have because it is a constantly evolving, changing, updating collection that technically expires after only a few months, and needs to be refreshed.  Thus, I get the rush of satisfying serotonin from buying New Stuff every few months, and the drawers remain about the same size and I don't need to feel like I'm wasting space or money.

Plus, we like a lot of flavor in our food.

I love MarketSpice, which has a little outlet in Pike Place Market in downtown Seattle, Washington.  They also have a warehouse in Redmond, Washington, where you can call in your order and pick it up pre-packaged; but I love the heady rush of seeing row after row of fresh spices on the wall, teas and coffee blends, and the tiny store full of tea pots and tea strainers and French presses, spice grinders and mortars.

When I moved to Virginia, I made a visit to MarketSpice to stock up all my jars before heading to questionable territory that may or may not have spices suitable to my standards.  Southern Belle came with me and took the snapshot you see above!

People come in to the store with long lists they need to replenish, so when I came and said I had a long list and started rattling them off, the clerk suggested I just hand him the notebook.  I did, and he stopped what he was doing to stare.  "Well," he said.  "We've had some pretty long lists, but I'm gonna have to say this is the longest one I've ever seen."

"I'm just restocking the ones that are low," I said.  "You guys have the best."

By the time he finished, two other employees had joined him, starting from the bottom of the list and working their way up, while he worked his way down from the top.  They brilliantly deciphered my hieroglyphic notations and determined how many ounces of each I wanted - it was like they could read my mind!

While I love the spices at Penzeys, too (I'm told MarketSpice sources some of their spices from them, as well), the beauty of MarketSpice is you can buy whatever quantity you want; Penzeys come pre-bottled (which makes them fabulous gifts!), so they can be a little bit pricier; but the quality is just as high.  I source my vanilla beans from Beanilla, a great online resource with the most competitive bulk prices on the market today, and use them to make our homemade extracts and other deliciousnesses like ice cream or tapioca pudding.

Miz Carmen gave my sister Melissa the idea for these little spice jars, which
I received from Melissa as a wedding gift!  This is just one drawer out of several ... 

When I was home for Christmas this past December, almost a year after my earlier visit, I stopped in at MarketSpice to restock on a couple items, and find a few new spices to try.  It's a busy store, and there were even a few new employees - but the old employees remembered me - "Didn't you come in with that huge list?" and the new employees had heard of me - "Didn't you come in with that huge list?"!  I had to laugh - but this is just another reason why I love this store.  Quality customer care, every single time!

Following is a list of the spices and blends we currently have on file right now.  The list is always evolving - some things run out, others are replaced, gifts are received, some are good, some are bad, new blends are mixed - and so it will probably be different if you come in a week from now!  These are sorted by letter and variety, but they aren't exactly alphabetical.

MS = Market Spice, P = Penzeys, HM = Homemade blend or home-grown and dried

Numbers 33rd & Galena (P blend)

Aa Allspice (ground), Allspice (whole), Anise Seed, Anise (ground), Arizona Dreaming (P blend)

Bb Baking Powder (home mix), Baking Soda, Sweet Basil (HM, dried, frozen), Sweet Basil (Frozen Oil Paste, HM), Cinnamon Basil (HM, dried, frozen), Lemon Basil (HM, dried, frozen), Purple Basil (HM, frozen), Bay Leaf (dried, HM), Bread Topping (HM), BBQ3000 (P blend), Beaumonde, Berebere (mixed by my cousin)

Cc Chinese 5-Spice, Caraway seeds, Cardamom (ground), Cardamom pods, Cayenne, Celery Seed, Chili Powder (MS blend), Cinnamon (ground, Oregon Spice), Ceylon Cinnamon, China Cinnamon, Vietnamese Cinnamon, Cinnamon Stick, Cloves (whole), Cloves (ground), Coriander, Cornstarch, Cream of Tartar, Cumin (ground), Cumin (whole), Curry (regular), Curry (additional blend), Curry (Madras), Vindaloo Curry, Crab & Shrimp Boil (MS blend), Cajun (P blend), Chicken and Rib Rub (P blend), Cilantro (dried), Cilantro (HM, frozen), Cider Mulling Mix (HM - recipe below), Hot Chili Powder, Whole Cayenne, Seattle Chai Mix (MS), Chai Spice Blend (MS, no tea)

Dd Dill Seed, Dill Weed

Ff Fennel, Fenugreek (ground), Fenugreek (whole), Fish Stock (Hon Dashi, grains), Fennel, Flax (ground), Flax Seeds

Gg Garam Masala, Garlic Powder, Garlic Salt, Ginger, Gumbo File (Sassafras root, powdered), Roasted Garlic Seasoning,  Game Hen Blend (MS blend. I used this all up after compiling my list so it's actually all gone!), Galena Street (P blend), Ground Virginia Peppers (HM)

Ii Italian Seasoning (MS blend)

Jj Jamaican Jerk (MS blend), Jalapeno Powder, Juniper Berries, Crushed Jalapeno

Mm Marjoram, Mustard Seed (yellow), Mustard Seed (brown), Mustard (ground), Hot Mustard (ground), Mint (whole leaf, HM), Mint (coarse grind, HM), Sambhar Masala, Pav Bhaji Masala, Karahi Chicken Masala, Chunky Chat Masala, Mchuzi Mix (Kenyan blend), Matcha Powder, Sweet Mesquite Seasoning, Smoky Meat Rub

Nn Nutmeg (ground), Nutmeg (whole), Nigella Seed

Oo Onion Powder (HM), Oregano, Orange Peel (dried, HM), Chopped Onion (HM)

Pp Paprika (hot), Paprika (sweet), Paprika (smoked), Paprika (Spanish Smoked), Parsley (dried), Parsley (frozen), Pepper (Tellicherry, whole), Pepper (ground) Pepper (crushed, red), Poppy Seed, Pickling Spice (store blend), Pumpkin Pie Spice (HM)

Rr Rosemary (Whole, HM), Rosemary (Coarse grind, HM), Rosemary (fine powder, HM)

Ss Saffron, Sage (HM), Sage (ground, HM), Seasoned Salt, Penzeys 4/S Seasoned Salt, Pretzel Salt, Kosher Salt, Celtic Sea Salt, Pickling Salt, Bacon Salt, Truffle Salt, Mural of Fire (P Seasoned salt), Sesame (Black), Sesame (Yellow), Sugar (Green Chile), Sugar (Cinnamon, HM - recipe below), Sumac, Sour Cream Dip Mix (HM, recipe below)

Tt Tarragon, Thyme (whole, HM), Thyme (ground, HM), Thyme (flaked), Turmeric, Taco Seasoning (HM)

Vv Vanilla Bean

A Few of My Favorite Spice Blends

I like blending my own spices - although there are a few favorite blends I love to buy premade! - and if you have a great spice blend you are willing to share, I'd be keen to hear it!

Cinnamon Sugar
This is the perfect ratio of sugar to cinnamon! 

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup sugar

Blend thoroughly.  Sprinkle on toast, cinnamon rolls, steamed milk, chopped apples, applesauce ...

Cider Mulling Mix
A little cheesecloth or a mesh tea ball filled with spices, a pot on the stove and a jar of home-pressed cider ... I like to use just a small amount, maybe two teaspoons approximately, per quart. 

Approximately 1 tablespoon whole allspice
Approximately 2 teaspoons whole cloves
1 stick cinnamon, approximately two inches, broken in half or shattered coarsely
Approximately 1 tablespoon dried orange peel pieces
A few shaves of a whole nutmeg

Toss together; increase amount in ratio listed as desired.  Store in an airtight jar.


Pumpkin Pie Spice (see the original post here!)
If you make the Libby recipe, just use two teaspoons per pie of this in replacement of what the can of puree calls for.  I use this to make my homemade pumpkin spice granola! 

1 tablespoon cinnamon
1-1/2 tsp ginger
3/4 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp allspice (optional)

Whisk ingredients together well; store in an airtight container.

Big Batch of Pumpkin Pie Spice (x 8)
Just a little pluttification ... and we have MORE! 

1/2 cup cinnamon (8 tablespoons)
1/4 cup ginger (12 teaspoons/4 tablespoons)
3 tablespoons cloves (6 teaspoons)
2 teaspoons allspice (optional)

Taco Seasoning (see the original post here!)

I got this recipe from Miz Carmen, who got it from Allrecipes, to which it was submitted by Bill Echols (thanks, Bill!)

Find a recipe for tortillas (whole wheat or white) here

1 tablespoon chili powder

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

¼ teaspoon onion powder

¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

¼ teaspoon dried oregano

½ teaspoon paprika

1 – ½ teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

Big Batch of Taco Seasoning

Have a huge family?  Making taco beef for a party?  Freezing batches of seasoned meat?  

To sedecuple the recipe (multiply it by 16), and make 16 ounces of taco seasoning (2 cups): 

1 cup chili powder

4 teaspoons garlic powder

4 teaspoons onion powder

4 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes

4 teaspoons dried oregano

2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons paprika

½ cup ground cumin

5 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon sea salt

5 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon ground black pepper  

Adjust the ratios as you like to make it more to your tastes; do you have any good ideas of other spices to add to this mix?

Sour Cream Dip
Blend this with sour cream - how much you use is up to you, as strength of flavoring is purely a personal choice - and serve with chips, vegetables, meat, fried hobo pockets, or whatever else you love to dip!  I used to enjoy the Lipton Onion Soup mixed with sour cream, but when I tried it again a year or two ago I realized all I could taste was MSG and artificial flavorings - my taste buds have refined since my teen years!  I had to come up with this mix so I could enjoy that oniony, salty dip again! 

1 tablespoon Beaumonde
2 teaspoons chopped or flaked onion
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon dill weed (or two teaspoons, if you like it less dominant)
2 teaspoons dried parsley

Blend well; whisk into sour cream.


Aluminum-Free Baking Powder (read the entire article here!)
If you bought this at the grocery store, it would cost twice as much as regular baking powder.  Crazy, huh?  

Sodium bicarbonate: 1/4 cup baking soda
Acid Salt: 1/2 cup cream of tartar
Starch: 1/2 cup arrowroot powder or 1/4 cup cream of tartar (optional, and highly recommended especially if you are going to put this in your cupboard for storage)

More!  We must have more!! 

All you spice fans and foodies out there - I am currently in the testing phase for a great chai spice blend, pickling spice, and an italian seasoning blend.  If you have a favorite recipe you are willing to share, please let me know and I will be anxious to try it!

Do you know of other great blends, or fabulous resources for spices?  Is there a great spice shop in your town?  I am always hunting for new and adventurous blends and applications for spices, like pepper in cookies and cinnamon on chicken - what is the most bizarre way you've ever used a familiar spice?  If I come across any new great resources or come up with a new great blend, I'll update this post!

Yours in season and out,

Mrs H

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Top Ten Posts of 2012: Salad, Gifts, Kids - and Lord of the Rings?

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Dear gentle and faithful Readers,

It's been a glorious year of blogging for me, as I have have learned, studied, stretched my limits, and watched the blog grow by leaps and bounds.  You, the faithful and cheerful reader, have visited again and again, increasing our readership by several hundred percent over the course of 2012.  You can't imagine how encouraging that is to a simple blogger like myself!  It motivates me to write and write some more, learn and learn again, and try, try harder!

I look forward to another year of growth, vibrant and sustainable living, and of course some more technical learning.  Looking back over my stats from the year, I pulled a list of the most-viewed posts.  Here is our collection of the top 10 reader favorites in 2012, in ascending order ending with the most popular of all.

This guy's favorite things are his toes!

#10  |  Educational Packs for Little Kiddos
I actually shared this post in Christmas 2011, but it has remained a steady favorite.  Download some coloring and activity packs for kids, and get some recipes for a very-homemade hot cocoa night!

#9  |  Fair Careers: Why I Work Full Time
This hot topic stirred up some interesting discussion on the sidelines, and got a lot of positive reviews from readers.  I don't think any two homes needs to be exactly the same, but sometimes I think people wonder why I don't do things "the way everybody else does!"  This post may answer those questions ... and provoke even more questions to follow!

#8  |  Dinner for a Hot Day: Cold Overnight Salad

A family heirloom recipe, I finally broke down and shared it on the blog (my secret is out!).  It stayed solidly in the top two slots for over half a year, and finally slid down as new posts usurped its position - but it remains a huge favorite with you and other readers, and with myself of course, because it is one of my all-time favorite recipes!

#7  |  Barney Fife Nips it in Wyoming 

I really don't know why or how this post made it to the top ten, but it's amusing enough that I guess people find it interesting!  It was a freak occurence during part of my long year of travel when Mr H was going through rounds of training across the country with the Navy; I guess most of you can sympathize, and hopefully got off as easily as I did, in this instance! 

#6  |  A Penny Found is a Penny Saved is a Penny Earned

This post easily scored in the top ten because of the wildly popular recipe for Indian Fry Bread contained in it.  I myself love this recipe - for a while, we were making it a few times a week (we were poor!  I didn't have yeast!  The sourdough starter died!  What was I supposed to do?!).  It's sister post, while not making it into the top ten, is still one of our popular posts and a family favorite.  

#5  |  I Like Convenience: Mind-Blowing

This one seems a little random to me, but we like what we like, right?  This is the post where I found out about reCap ... if you own a mason jar, you will probably want one, too!!  Or ten. 

#4  |  Best 15 Gifts for Homesteaders 

This surprised me a little because I posted it so near to the end of the year; however, I am excited that you all enjoyed it so much and it has become one of our most popular posts!  It lists some of my favorite or most dearly desired tools for the kitchen - all the best and most tested of their kind.  It's sister post, my top picks booklist, is one of the favorite posts of the month, but not the year.  

#3  |  Out of the Mouths of Babes  

"Kids say the darndest things ..."  This post recalls some of the funny things I've heard kids say, weird things we believed as kids, and a few comics for, well, relief.  When I was a kid, I thought pickles grew in the ocean and that's why they were so salty; as a babysitter, I learned what a bobba chaya was.  Did you believe or say any weird things as a kid, or do your kids crack you up with their unfiltered view of life?  

#2  |  Cloth Diaper Detergent: Yeah, We're Cheap

This detergent post definitely earned a top spot in our year review.  My favorite detergent recipe of all time - we use it for diapers and clothes, and my husband takes containers of it with him on deployment - it is easy (3 ingredients!), free of chemicals, fragrances, damaging whiteners, and skin irritants!  

#1  |  If Lord of the Rings Characters Drove Cars

I have to say, this one took me completely by surprise.  The most favorite post of the year by far, it has somehow gone viral and raked in 1,500% more views than any other post.  I don't know why; but I think it's funny.  It's not even related to my general blog topics - it's just a humorous post about Lord of the Rings!  

More favorites:  These recent posts have scored top slots for the recent months, several of them spread via Pinterest and rapidly becoming favorites with many of my beloved readers!

Render Unto Caesar: Orange Julius
Well, it definitely made my nice list.  When I went home for Christmas, I blended up a few huge batches of this drink, much to the delight of my family!  Chill out with a creamy, smooth drink that has no added sugar!

Storing and Using Bananas: Freezing and Dehydrating and other awesome uses
It's not every day you end up with five cases of bananas, but I was happy to acquire them and even happier to use them!  If you want to stock up, save up and use up bananas, this is the post for you.

Nourishing Traditions Book Review
One of my favorite cookbooks and possibly one of yours, I wrote a thorough review (with links to an interview with the author!) and gave away a copy.

Booklist: Top Picks and Recommendations
As mentioned above, when we posted my list of favorite books it became a reader favorite and I can imagine why; I love reading booklists from other bloggers who read and ponder the same topics I do, and I am always eager for new material! I am sure many of my readers feel the same, and am glad I could be of some use by sharing this list.

Off to write again with the hopes of making you a happier reader!

Mrs H

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Booklist: Top Picks and Recommendations

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Dear Reader,

If you are hunting for a last-second Christmas gift, or just in the mood to find some new literature for your shelves, here are my top cookery-book recommendations!  While I love all the books in my collection and many not listed here get used very frequently, these are the books I go to the most.  I keep these ones close to the kitchen, and their pages are oily, splattered, scribbled on and well-loved!

Click here to see a complete booklist of the cookery guides in my kitchen.  

Click here to read reviews I wrote for books we gave away in the past here on the blog, and for the San Francisco/Sacramento Book Review.  

Home Preserving, Canning, and DIY

Ball Blue Book Guide to Preserving  A must-have guide for any homemaker.  Not only covering the rudiments of canning - explaining in detail and with illustrations how to both pressure can, and water-bath can - this book also address freezing and dehydrating, the other two most popular forms of food storage.  With recipes that have become our family favorites, and simple, straightforward instructions on everything from jerky to chutney to pickles to flash-frozen kale, this book is a staple for the kitchen shelf!  See the pickles we made here.

Jam It, Pickle It, Cure It: And Other Cooking Projects  A favorite of mine, it has my most-well-loved recipe for lemon curd, an egg pasta I can hardly live without, and a collection of popsicle recipes that saw me through the hottest, sweatiest days of a post-partum summer!  I absolutely love this book, and every recipe I have tried from it has been an A+ winner.  And the sequel, which I don't yet own, is doubtless just as wonderful and beautiful: Can It, Bottle It, Smoke It: And Other Kitchen Projects

The America's Test Kitchen DIY Cookbook  An outstanding book that every DIYer, urban homesteader, home cook and processed-free-fan should absolutely own.  Read my full review here.  If you take anything home today, let it be this book.

Baking and Bread-Making

Peter Reinhart's Artisan Breads Every Day  If you are one of those cooks like me who wasted untold bags of flour and yeast on bread that came out thick, heavy, ugly, and lumpy ... Welcome this book with open arms.  Regardless of your skill level, Reinhart will perfect and upgrade your bread, bun, pizza-dough, cinnamon-roll, biscuit, baguette and boule skills to the level of artisan.  I always wanted to eliminate store-bought bread items from our kitchen, but my bread wasn't nearly satisfactory and it always seemed so complicated a chore.  After this book came to our home (recommended by Miz Carmen), we stopped buying bread.  See a sample recipe here.  

King Arthur Flour Whole Grain Baking: Delicious Recipes Using Nutritious Whole Grains (King Arthur Flour Cookbooks)  Another recommendation from the Miz, this book is a winner.  It is my particular delight to choose a new item every few days to accompany our dinner, and this book wormed it's way right into the center of my heart.  I love it.  I love it.  Recipes for cookies, bread, cake, biscuits, all the usual plus more - and all using whole grains, delicious, wonderful, comforting, beautifully laid out and with two sections of photos.  See a sample recipe here, and here.  

Pie: 300 Tried-and-True Recipes for Delicious Homemade Pie  My mom got me this book for Christmas and I almost cried the first time I made the crust and it turned out so exquisitely!  A beautiful, thorough compendium on PIE, this book is not only beautiful, but useful.  

The King Arthur Flour 200th Anniversary Cookbook: All the joy and variety of baking-the experience and tradition of America's most historic flour company (King Arthur Flour Cookbooks)  My second cookbook ever (the first was this, a book which I still own and LOVE the recipes from), this book has all the important recipes, variations, lessons, tips, tricks and even historical anecdotes for anything Flour that comes out of the kitchen, from doughnuts to butter cake to sourdough starter to waffles! This book is possibly (being one of the oldest in my collection and well-loved) one of the very messiest I own!

General Cooking Guides: All-Purpose In the Kitchen

The New Best Recipe: All-New Edition  Outstanding book covering all the basics of the kitchen: every cook should own this book.  Every recipe is a go-to, trustworthy and successful dish.  I have never had a flop from this book!  See a sample recipe here, sourced from a book that is a shorter selection of recipes from this one.  

Nourishing Traditions:  The Cookbook that Challenges Politically Correct Nutrition and the Diet Dictocrats  An excellent book for everybody learning to make their own yogurt, soak their own grains and brew their own medicine.  Read my full review here.  

The America's Test Kitchen Quick Family Cookbook: A Faster, Smarter Way to Cook Everything from America's Most Trusted Test Kitchen  This book is so much fun!  I love how the recipes in it can be whipped out in short order (but big flavor!), and it has been my saving grace more than a few times.  Read my full review here.

Soups, Stews, and Big Pots

Twelve Months of Monastery Soups  I cannot recommend this book strongly enough.  My older sister owned it growing up, and when I married Mr H I instantly went and bought this book (actually, I bought it just before we got married, so I wouldn't have to live a day without it).  Whenever I have a quick dinner I need, a long dinner I can start early, or a vegetable I am at a loss for, I flip through this very simple, spare book.  Lots of recipe, very little extra foofoo, it gets straight to the point.  All the soups have been winners, from Avocado Veloute to my age-old classic well-loved dearly-adored Caldo Verde!  See a sample recipe here.  

Recipes from the Root Cellar: 270 Fresh Ways to Enjoy Winter Vegetables  I accidentally left this book at my friends' house and she texted me how she was secretly glad I did!  When I came a few days later to pick it up, she said she was hastily trying to finish reading the entire thing!  Not only have I been stunned and boggled by the quality of the dishes in Chesman's repertoire, but I love her seasonal take on produce, especially useful to me since I prefer to cook with local and in-season foods.  Tackle turnips, love leeks, and krunch kale with all her fantastic recipes! 

Slow Cooker: The Best Cookbook Ever with More Than 400 Easy-to-Make Recipes  As you well know, this book has melted into my kitchen with such love that I can't even get it off my kitchen counter.  This is the best slow cooker book available! Read my full review here.  

Cooking Under Cover: One Pot Wonders -- A Treasury of Soups, Stews, Braises, and Casseroles  I "borrowed" this book from my mom three years ago.  Still "borrowing" it.  Can't let her "have" it back .. Ever!  I love how the recipes in this book all go into one pot, and come out like gourmet, way-too-much-work-went-into-this dazzlers.  Whenever I use a recipe from this book, I feel like a fancy chef (the book includes wine pairings, in case you are a fancy chef!) and I've never had anybody turn down a meal from this book, ever! 

Specialty Cooking: Sweets, Drinks, Entertaining

The Perfect Scoop: Ice Creams, Sorbets, Granitas, and Sweet Accompaniments  Don't let yourself head into another summer season without this ice-cream guide to see you through!  No longer can I eat store-bought ice cream (Dreyers?  Please ... spare me the sixty ingredients!), not after enjoying real ice cream.  The chocolate ice cream in this book?  So wicked, you can only eat a tiny bowl.  The cream cheese?  Ginger?  Lemon?  Tin Roof Sundae?  Stop me, please!  I love this book.  See a sample recipe here.  

Homemade Soda: 200 Recipes for Making & Using Fruit Sodas and Fizzy Juices, Sparkling Waters, Root Beers and Cola Brews, Herbal and Healing Waters, ... and Floats, and Other Carbonated Concoctions  Goodbye canned soda.  Hello home-carbonated drinks!  The title just about sums it all up, and you can read my full review here!  

Barefoot Contessa Foolproof: Recipes You Can Trust  This book is one of the newest in my collection, so I actually can't say it is splattered yet.  But I wanted to include it here because I truly enjoy all of Ina Garten's cooking so much.  I was introduced to her friendly cooking show when I was working as a hospice volunteer, and one of the patients I sat with wanted to watch her show many times.  I realized how easy her cooking was, how simple, straightforward, and fresh.  Using just a few quality ingredients, she was setting a table that looked out of this world!  Read my full review here. 

The Versatile Vita-Mix  You know why I wanted this book so badly (read why here!), and now that I have it I am loving every minute of it!   From smoothies to johnnycake, this book has been a family standby since I was knee-high to a grasshopper, and I am more than proud to have it join my collection now!

Homeopathy, Gardening, and Lifestyle

Prescription for Nutritional Healing, Fifth Edition: A Practical A-to-Z Reference to Drug-Free Remedies Using Vitamins, Minerals, Herbs and Food Supplements  This book isn't a doctor, but it can help pinpoint the causes of various malaises and offers solutions from the comfort of your home.  

The Backyard Homestead: Produce all the food you need on just a quarter acre!  An excellent guide for homesteaders today, this book will get you started on hog-raising and gardening!  Read my full review here.  

Vertical Vegetables and Fruit: Creative Gardening Techniques for Growing Up in Small Spaces  Read my full review here.

Culinary Reactions: The Everyday Chemistry of Cooking  An informative guide that will leave you better equipped for improvising, creating and experimenting with fewer flops in the kitchen!  Read my full review here.

World Cuisine

Giada's Kitchen: New Italian Favorites  Great, simple recipes - all of them delicious; lots of color photographs! 

Where Flavor Was Born: Recipes and Culinary Travels Along the Indian Ocean Spice Route  This is a big fat book with lots of revolutionary (to the Westerners) and flavorful ways to use spices.  I enjoy international cooking for the simple reason that, while not only bringing new flavors and textures to my plate, it also expands my view of certain foods and helps shift paradigms in thinking about say, cinnamon or star anise.  

Ray's Boathouse: Seafood Secrets of the Pacific Northwest  A book from my native Washington state, this beautifully appointed book is a sophisticated treatise on preparing fresh salmon, crab, lobster and more.  

Local Flavors: Cooking and Eating from America's Farmers' Markets  What a gem this book is in my collection!  It has saved me more than once with an overful refrigerator of produce, while on the hunt for a new way to use some bountiful vegetable.  (Eggplant jam?  Summer squash pasta?) 

Italianissimo: Over 600 Great Recipes From Every Region of Italy  Actual italian recipes (think: not Olive Garden) with lots of pictures, although the pictures are not really my favorite part.  The best, fastest and easiest pizza crust I've seen yet is in this book; pizza bianca and acutal italian pizzas (no cheese!) will please everybody!

Gluten-Free, Vegan and Vegetarian Cooking

Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World: 75 Dairy-Free Recipes for Cupcakes that Rule  Looking to do some vegan baking?  This miniature book has way too many recipes for its size!  Read my full review here.  

Raw Food/Real World: 100 Recipes to Get the Glow  Almond milk, smoothies, cashew cheese and other excellent ways to prepare raw and vegan food: use as a supplement to your already-nutritious diet, to learn some new ways to prepare vegetables and nuts, or if you are a raw foodie it will be an excellent all-purpose "cook" book! 

Fresh From The Vegetarian Slow Cooker: 200 Recipes for Healthy and Hearty One-Pot Meals that are Ready when You are  I love this book - and recommend it to anybody starting a vegetarian diet (or vegan, as any recipes not vegan have alternate ingredient options).  It was a chance find in a bookstore and I am glad I stumbled across it; soups, lasagne, even dessert and appetizers are included - and all of them with ordinary ingredients you can find in the grocery store.  

Gluten-Free Vegan Comfort Food: 125 Simple and Satisfying Recipes, from "Mac and Cheese" to Chocolate Cupcakes  Unglutenites rejoice - lots of recipe titles you will recognize but in exciting - gluten-free - new ways!   Read my full review here.


Mrs H

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Scroll through the books here!