Mixed Blessings

Today has been a day of mixed blessings on the homemaking front.

I have been trying, over the last few days, to soak and dry some mixed seeds I have. 
I soaked them overnight in a salt mixture, and rinsed thoroughly, then set in my oven to dry them.

2 days later, and they are still not dry and they were frankly starting to smell!!

They also had a slimy coating on them!!

Yuck!!!

I hate wasting food, but they had to go.

Ok, move on, I thought. I had soaked some oats to make some oatmeal cookies that would be nourishing, so I made them, put them in the oven, and...... I ended up with a flapjack-looking goo!! It tastes scrummy, but cookies, it ain't! 

At this point, I felt a little deflated, I have to admit!

But....

I have been meaning to give Ghee a try for so long, to cook with, and found a great home tutorial here, so, I sucked in a deep breath and plunged in!!

Success!!!!



My beautiful golden jar!! Ahhhh....

I was beginning to feel a little disheartened, what with the fermenting failure last week, but this little jar of sunshine has lifted my spirits once more. 

It makes me want to try again. 

"Failure is not falling down, it's staying down"- Mary Pickford.

Great quote. 

Now to live it. :)

The Magic Elixir....

I have a freezer full of my magic elixir again, and I am very happy!!

No, it is not some new-fangled potion, in fact it's very old (the recipe, I mean, not my stash)

Your Granny would most definitely have made it, and I strongly believe it is a practice we should bring back: I'm talking, of course, about the health giving Homemade Chicken Stock.

There are so many health benefits to consuming a good stock, and any homemade sauce is transported to new heights with it's use. The fact that it's so EASY to make too, just seals the deal.

Lets take a look at why it's so valuable. 

1. Helps heal and seal your gut, and promotes healthy digestion: The gelatin found in bone broth is a hydrophilic colloid. It attracts and holds liquids, including digestive juices, thereby supporting proper digestion.
2. Reduces joint pain and inflammation, courtesy of chondroitin sulphates, glucosamine, and other compounds extracted from the boiled down cartilage
3. Promotes strong, healthy bones: As mentioned above, bone broth contains high amounts of calcium, magnesium, and other nutrients that play an important role in healthy bone formation
4. Promotes healthy hair and nail growth, thanks to the gelatin in the broth(from Mercola.com)
5. It's a frugal way of getting the most out of your joint, and therefore saving you money
6. And like I said, soups, stews and sauces taste AMAZING with some broth added.

Easy Chicken Stock Recipe

You can use a whole chicken and peel of the meat once cooked, or use the carcass after you have removed the cooked meat.

Place the carcass/whole chicken in a large stockpot with 1 tbsp of apple cider vinegar vinegar (this help the calcium draw fully from the bones) and fill with water. Let sit on the stove top for an hour, then turn on heat and bring to the boil. Skim the scum (I love that phrase!) off the top and turn heat down to a simmer. Add 2-3 carrots, 1 medium onion, cut in half, but with skin on, and 1 large stick of celery, a pinch of salt and pepper, and let simmer gently for 6-12 hrs. 

Strain into a bowl and place slightly cooled stock into the fridge. When cooled the fat will solidify on the top. Remove this and store in clean jars in the fridge for 1-2 weeks, or do as I do, and freeze in small portions. I store mine in ice cream tubs, and defrost in a bowl of hot water before use.

SO tasty, and SO healthy. Win, win, I think!!!!

Friday Recipes (on Saturday, Sorry): Beef Chunks in Gravy

It's been a busy week, and we had friend over last night, so I opted for plain and simple.

I went with Beef in gravy, with Mashed potatoes and vegetables. 

It was a hit, so I thought I'd share my easy peasy recipe with you;

Ingredients

2 tbsp butter

1lb of stewing beef, in fairly small chunks

1 medium onion, finely chopped

4 cloves garlic, crushed

2 tbsp red wine

1 pint chicken stock, hot

1/2 cup peas (I used frozen)

1 tsp salt,

1 tsp pepper,

2 tsp Arrowroot or cornstarch to thicken

Method

• Melt butter in a cast iron pan, and brown the meat for about 30-45 second each side. (working in small batches makes this easier)
• Add the onions and garlic to the same pan, so they fry in the juices. let fry for 2-3 mins, and then ad the red wine to loosen any residual meat juices stuck at the bottom of the pan.
• Add peas and chicken stock, stir to combine, add salt and pepper and simmer for 20-30 mins on a medium heat.
• When ready to serve, dilute thickener of choice with water in a separate cup, and add to pan, while still on the heat. Stir for 2-3 mins to allow to thicken, and then serve with potatoes and vegetables of your choice. 

Healthy, tasty food with not a hint of MSG or nasty chemicals in sight.

Simple, but worth it.