Yogurt Time!

First off, let me jut say that the weather down here is soooo crazy! In the past month alone we were hit with the blizzard of the century, Super Storm Goliath, wildfires in certain parts of the state, along with wind storms with 60-70 mph gusts. Last week we had temperatures in the 50's and 60's with sun. This week it has been below freezing, spitting snow and rain and today it is sunny and warm at 75 degrees. I even went out and did some yard work in shorts while the boys played in the yard in short-sleeved shirts. My poor body doesn't know what to do: hibernate or welcome spring.

In the meantime, I have continued on my lovely diet and am continuing to feel better, just miss my milk and full fat foods :(

So yogurt making in the slow cooker! Super easy and delicious. I will say ahead of time that this yogurt does not have the same consistency as store bought, but I believe that it tastes much better. More yummy good for you stuff, less of the nasty stuff :) This is a recipe for vanilla yogurt. I am not a fan of plain yogurt, although now I am learning to use it to cook with, for eating I prefer the vanilla.

To start you need 8 cups (half a gallon) of, preferably, whole milk. Make sure to check that it isn't ultra-pasteurized because it will not work properly if that is the case. Pasteurized is fine if that is all you can get and a lot of people have access to raw milk; I do not and have to buy it from the store. Also, it would be good to start this about 2 or 3 pm in the afternoon because there are a couple of steps before you let it sit overnight that happen in 3 hour increments.

Milk ready to go!

I use a small 4 qt. crock pot for this recipe. Poor the milk in and turn to low for 2 hours 45 mins up to 3 hours. After the time turn it off and unplug it.

Yes that says Vodka. I make my own vanilla extract with bottom-shelf liquor and vanilla beans. 

Whisk in 1/2 cup of sugar and 1 Tbsp of vanilla extract (the more pure the better) and let it sit for 3 hours.

After 3 hours add in 1/2 cup of your yogurt (this can be either prior stuff you made or store bought as long as it has active live cultures in it!) whisk it in really well.

Wrap the entire crockpot in 1 to 2 beach towels and let it sit overnight, 8-12 hours.

In the morning, spoon the yogurt into a flour sack or cheese cloth lined colander that is sitting on top of a bowl. This will help drain the whey off of the yogurt and help to thicken it. If using a flour sack cloth, dampen it prior to using. I let my yogurt drain 4-6 hours in the fridge, but it is up to you how long you let it sit in the fridge draining.

Finished product! Yum!

Once it is drained off enough to your liking, scoop it out and put into a sealable tub and it's good to eat! Just remember to save 1/2 cup for the next batch of yogurt and you will end up with roughly half of what your started with at the beginning, about 4-5 cups.

This is what the whey looks like.

Also, the whey can be used in different recipes, just have to google uses for it :)

Hopefully you have no issues with this recipe, if you do, let me know and I will try to help work out what went wrong.

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New Diet...Yippee

So I know last time I promised to post my yogurt recipe, and I will, but there have been some seriously crazy happenings around here the past week. Last Thursday I woke up with such intense pain that I was hardly able to breath and felt like passing out several times because of it. Hubby rushed me to the ER where they proceeded to run tests and blood work to try and determine what was the matter.

After a couple of hours I was informed by the doctor that there was something wrong with my gall bladder. Instantly I thought surgery, but thankfully that was not the case. He said that I had "sludge" in my gall bladder that would settle and block the ducts once in awhile which is where the pain comes from. If you have ever had anything like gall or kidney stones than you probably know what my pain was like: not fun! Since I am also pregnant, the ER doctor wanted to check in with my OB to get a game plan on helping me feel better. They decided that surgery wasn't necessary (thankfully!) and all I would need to do was change my diet.

I had already changed my diet quite a bit since this pregnancy because certain foods didn't settle well or weren't good for a preggo chick. This new diet pretty much eliminates all of the yummy foods/snacks I would treat myself to once in awhile; like chocolate or ice cream or cream cheese! Basically I have had to eliminate anything that is not low or non-fat, use whole grain breads and pastas, and super lean meats with as little oil to cook with as possible. My fruit and veggie intake has increased, along with my water (which I was already drinking tons with being preggo). I have cut myself back to 1/2 cup of coffee a day! Which has been soooo hard to not have my 2 cups a day with creamer. Drinking it black with no milk or sugar :(

With this diet I have basically had to re-learn how to cook certain foods and sub in different oils and milks. Label reading on foods is something that I did a lot before now I'm obsessed with it because I cannot have anything with vegetable oil or shortening, or anything with trans fat. The nurses in the ER joked that I would basically be eating cardboard and air (ha!).

I'm learning to adapt and am not totally hating the new diet, just get tired of having to constantly check ingredients for certain things. Also, I've had to make some things because it's pretty close to impossible to find muffins for breakfast/snack or ranch dressing in the store that isn't loaded with tons of crap I can't have.

Just made Banana Applesauce Muffins http://www.fromaway.com/cooking/banana-applesauce-muffins from this site I found on Pinterest. They turned out super yummy (even being whole wheat) and were really easy to make. I even subbed in honey for the sugar in the recipe and it worked just as well.

Yesterday, because I've been wanting a salad but can't use the dressing and I'm not a vinaigrette person, I found a recipe online (with the help of a friend that came over the next day after my ER visit to hang out and help me find new recipes I could eat) for Avocado Greek Yogurt Ranch Dressing  http://www.cookingclassy.com/2015/06/avocado-greek-yogurt-ranch-dressing/ from this site that I also got off of Pinterest. Tried it out today on a salad and it was not too bad. Granted, it isn't like normal ranch dressing from the store, but it tasted good and worked well for my salad. Even subbed in Almond milk (can't have whole moo juice) and it tastes great. My oldest said it was too stinky though! Ha!

The oil I use, sparingly, to cook with now is avocado. It is supposed to be much better for you and doesn't have a lot of the after taste or smell that comes with olive oil. My hubby hasn't complained so that's good! I've been on this new "diet" now for almost a week and I haven't starved, just learning to adapt to the different changes that are now in my future until the doctor gives me the thumbs up on the gall bladder. Who knows, maybe this diet will stick with me, probably not the coffee part, but I am feeling better and that is what matters the most!

Next time I hope to have the yogurt recipe with pictures!

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Rambling away

The hardest thing about being a stay-at-home mom in a state with no family close by? Being lonely and feeling isolated. And the flat, barren landscape does nothing to improve this feeling. It's not horrible, but there are times I really wish my family was closer, if for nothing else, than to go over and have coffee or lunch with them so the boys can play and get to know their family better. I do pretty good with occupying myself, especially with two crazy little boys that are bundles of energy the minute they get up to the minute they go to bed. That definitely helps a lot. The few friends that we do have down here are in a neighboring town about 90 miles away, so that makes it hard to just go over for a quick visit; it becomes a day trip which wears everyone out. Not that that is a bad thing!

However, the upside to living so far from everyone familiar is that we have learned to be more self-sufficient. Due to this, I have gotten pretty good at making things from scratch and grocery shopping for our family has become a goal to keep the total as close to $300 as possible, which I do most months. What has helped me in this regard is making bread at home with my bread machine, crockpot vanilla yogurt (the boys LOVE that stuff), and contributing to bountiful basket at least once a month for our fresh fruit and veggies at a fraction of the cost! I also use several different rebate/shopping apps that help along with coupons.

All of this helps so much in keeping our budget (and my sanity) low and manageable. I am no Betty Crocker or Dave Ramsey by any means, but I try very hard to keep this family going budget and food-wise and I learn more everyday on how to accomplish my goals reasonably. Making items from scratch and bountiful basket have probably been the best investments I have made so far, and not just for the health benefits, but money-wise as well.

Doing all of this has helped to keep me occupied when I do start to get lonely. Not only that, but most of my family is just a phone call or text message away when I need them. Expecting our third child has also given me more to look forward to with doctors visits and all of the tests that come with it. (Still don't know what the gender is by the way if you were wondering.) Writing this little blog has also helped me to not feel as lonely and I appreciate everyone that reads it, I'm sure I'm not the most interesting person to read about, but I feel more connected to those I miss through it.

I will post how I make my yogurt next time. Trust me, it's worth doing and SOOOO easy! That's what I love the most about my crockpots: just toss it in and wait for the most part!

Until next time....

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2015...See Ya!

So I'm actually very happy to see the year 2015 go bye-bye. It wasn't a horrible year, but it certainly was not one of my favorites. A lot happened during the year; some good, some bad.

I had my 10 year high school reunion in July and it was so nice getting to go home for a couple of weeks and to catch up with everyone. Our family also acquired a Vizsla puppy this summer as well and he is now a member of our family and can be just as obnoxious and stubborn as my two sons! We love him very much though, and are happy we have him in out lives.

In August, my father's cancer took an aggressive turn for the worst and finally over powered him. He passed away after fighting hard for a year. It was a rough month for everyone and at times it is still hard to believe that he gone. Thankfully, my husband has been my rock during this most difficult time and I appreciate him so much for just letting me cry all over him when I needed to release.

With September came one of our busiest months so far this year. It seemed as though we were constantly going somewhere and doing something every weekend. Not only was my dad's memorial service in September, but so was my youngest sons 1st birthday along with my 29th birthday. Traveling on a plane with children by yourself is no picnic, so I was extremely grateful that my husband was able to go with me to the memorial and to help with the kids. At the memorial, I was shocked by the turn-out. The church was standing-room only. Lots of tears and laughter and stories about my dad. It was bittersweet to say goodbye to dad and to see friends and relatives I hadn't seen in years.

After our return from the memorial and our lives slowing down a little, we found out that we are expecting our 3rd, and final, child this coming spring. The entire family is rooting for a girl except my poor husband haha! He's terrified of a little girl because he knows he would spoil her worse than our boys. As of right now, the baby plays shy with the ultrasound, so we might not find out until delivery day the gender. That's ok, as long as he or she is healthy and the pregnancy has no complications.

In December, my Nevada family surprised me with them coming down for the holidays! It was nice to be together for Christmas and also an unplanned New Year's after a freak blizzard shut down everything. The holidays would have been much harder had they not been here with us. The company was nice to have while hubby was out making sure the electricity stayed on for people during the storm. Made worrying a little easier with others chewing their nails right along with me.

Like I said, the year wasn't the best, but it certainly wasn't the worst. I am just glad that the New Year is here and can't wait to see what happens this year.

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Daddy's Hats

“I have tried to live my life so that my family would love me and my friends respect me. The others can do whatever the hell they please.” -John Wayne

This is the tree from my dad's memorial in September. There is a lot of special meaning to each of those hats that hang on it. Some are more significant in memory to me than others, but they all represent who my dad was in the end. I can only tell what these hats meant to me, they might have different meaning or feeling attached to them for everyone else. Let's start at the top...

The white baseball cap was a hat that meant dad had become a "born-again" Christian. I know that a lot of people throw that term around, but in my dad's case it was true. Growing up he wasn't the nicest person to deal with. He was a very angry man after my parent's divorce and drank and smoked and chewed tobacco a lot. All of his jeans that he owned always had a Copenhagen ring in the back pocket. When my dad told me that he was going back to church; the same church he had turned his back to so many years before; I was in shock and honestly didn't think he would stick with it. Oh ye of little faith in my case. He was baptized, along with my brother and step-mom. I was so proud of him and the changes that had happened in him. He no longer drank, smoked, or chewed. In fact, he had even cooled his notorious temper and road rage. Dad had become the man I had always longed he would become as a little girl growing up.

The cheese-head is pretty self-explanatory. My dad was a rabid Green Bay Packers fan, and I have been a fan since I was little as well, just don't watch the games. On game days he would put on his cheese head and his Packer jersey and fill his Packer cup up with either coffee or water and root for his favorite team. The cheese head is now mine and I will always think of dad when I see it or watch a game.

The last two hats hold the most significance for me memory-wise. The bright orange tin hat brought on the most emotion for me when I finally saw it in person. Memories of dad coming home from logging in the woods to my grandma's house. He smelled like pine, chainsaw oil, and coffee. When he would come in the door my older brother and I would basically maul him and drag him over to the chair to help take his boots off while our grandma got him some dinner. If you have ever seen a logging boot, than you know it is not an easy task to take one off. They are extremely tall, almost to the knee, and HEAVY. Each boot can weigh upwards of 8 pounds! It would take me and my brother at least 10 minutes to "help" dad get his boots off, but while we undid the laces he would tell us about his time up in the woods. That old hat also reminds me of all the times dad was gone helping with fighting fires all over the Western United States and Alaska. Those were anxious times for my brother and myself. Fires are dangerous and we were always worried about dad's safety and prayed he would come home to us.

The final hat is dad's cowboy hat. He loved horses and the ranch life, but was never able to actually own his own ranch. He may not have been able to live the cowboy life that he always dreamed of, but he never stopped being a cowboy in his own heart and soul. This might explain both our obsessions with John Wayne and all things western.

In the end, dad was a great person and an excellent dad to all of us kids. He tried to live his life the best that he could in the best manner and way possible, so as to be an example to the rest of the world. I believe he accomplished just that, and I will miss him terribly.

I will always be my daddy's little Peanut.
Rest in Peace, until we meet again.

Holiday Season

The holiday season is here! Yay! Love Christmastime (if you couldn't tell already) and I was so excited to start decorating my house and tree. We have, for the first time ever since being married, a full-size, 7.5 foot tall tree! My oldest helped me decorate and we had so much fun :) After we decorated the tree R helped me with the fireplace mantle. We put up our Charlie Brown nativity scene, it looks pretty cute! When the boys were taking a nap the next day, I worked on the front window, putting up window stickers and ornaments and lights. It looks fabulous and we have gotten several compliments from out neighbors about it.

 Yes, that's a fence around the tree. Helps keep the kids and the dog out of it.

The weather down here has been downright cold! Not like it was in Oregon, but a different kind of cold. It's a damp cold that soaks into your bones, even if it is only 40 degrees out. Makes for being outside for any length of time miserable. I feel sorry for the hubby, he is out in it all day.

Our Thanksgiving was great. The four of us and one of hubby's co-workers who is also from out of state. Good food and good conversation; that's what the holidays are supposed to be about. We still miss the Northwest, but it is nice to have friends down here.

Everyone has been in good health, despite the nasty weather and I am thankful for that. Nobody likes it when their loved ones are sick, especially when they are male!

Slowly been wrapping presents and making Christmas treats that I plan on giving out as gifts. The only problem is that I have to make everything twice because the hubby and the boys are my "official taste-testers"...or so they say! HAHA! Mailed out a ton of Christmas cards this past week that I'm sure the mailman hates me for, but oh well, such is life. 

Until next time! Be on the lookout for another post later on this week, it's for a special day.

Halloween and Holidays are Coming

I know, it's been a super long time since the last post. What can I say other than I am blonde and spacey (I call it busy, but whatever). I did promise pictures of my super cute Halloween babies, so here ya go!

Sully Monster and a Skeleton Pirate. 

I just love them. They are so cute. TT was not terribly excited about having the head piece on, but he dealt with it. R had such a blast! I'm sure that next year will be even more fun!

 

Although I was slightly disappointed in the lack of Halloween decorations from people. Not too mention that there was hardly any neighborhoods that were passing out candy. The "rich" neighborhoods did, but that was about all that we saw when we headed back home after trick-or-treating. We didn't have a ton of decorations out, but we at least tried to make our house look inviting to any trick-or-treaters. Next year, I hope we can do a lot more to our yard and house to make it fun to visit!

Now that Halloween is over, we are preparing for Thanksgiving and Christmas! I'm looking forward to the holiday season and can't wait to start decorating the house. I promised the hubs that I would at least TRY to wait until Thanksgiving, but no guarantee at this point. There is a Christmas tree and decorations that are calling my name to be put out! I think that the boys will really enjoy Christmas this year, or I hope that they will. I want to at least try to mail out cards and give baked goodies to all of my neighbors and the few friends that we have living close by. I especially want to make lefsa this year. If you do not know what that is and have never tried it, than you are missing out on one of the best Scandinavian foods ever!! Just ask me ;) The only downside to it, is it takes FOREVER to make a small batch (which I usually end up eating most of it as test subjects). 

Can't wait for the holidays! 

 

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