Harvest is a time of plenty

 The fall harvest has always traditionally been a time of plenty, a time to come together as a community and share. Since I missed posting yesterday due to a birthday (my eldest daughter is now 10) we are sharing two recipes today. Both are for the season. First, one that is a favorite for my kids, they LOVE making their own applesauce and leaving it for neighbors in the early morning.

Share the Wealth Applesauce
24 tart apples
Juice of a lemon
2 cups water
1 cup sugar
4 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup raisins (optional)

Peel and core the apples, then cut them into chunks. Place the apples in a large nonreactive saucepan, and add the lemon juice and water. Stir in the sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot and cook for 30 minutes or until the apples are soft. Remove the mixture from the heat and add the cinnamon and raisins, if desired. Stir light for a chunky sauce and rigorously for a smooth sauce. For a pink applesauce, use red apples and leave the skins on. Once the apples are soft, you can strain out the skins or lift them from the sauce with a fork.

Makes 2 1/2 cups.
( Pour into resealable jars, decorate to give as Harvest gifts to relatives, friends, and neighbors.) 


 Next up, muffins, who doesn't love some good muffins? These are fun to make, filling, and easy to ship. Folks across the country are gathering to show solidarity in the protests that began with Wall Street last Saturday. These are people, our people, and they need our support.





Harvest Morning Muffins
3 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup grated apples
1 cup grated carrots
1 cup whole-wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tbs. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease a 12-muffin tin or line it with paper liners. Set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, blend the eggs, sugar and oil until well combined. Stir in the grated apples and carrots. In a separate bowl, sift the flours, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Blend the dry ingredients with the apple mixture until just combined. Spoon the batter into the muffin tins and bake for 25 minutes.
Makes 12 muffins. 


The Sovereign People's Movement Official Demands. Where your vote really DOES count.

Good Harvest!

Check out hashtag #occupywallstreet on Twitter for more information involving the protest on Wall Street including links to the VIOLENT arrests of several PEACEFUL protesters.




I missed a post! For shame, for shame. I was distracted by some of the things happening on Wall Street right now (Article from CBSNews: Wall Street protests continue, several arrested).
So down to business Good Harvest to all, and with this harvest I wish you wisdom.
Sea Turtle Wisdom Bread

2 tsp. active dry yeast 1 cup warm water
2 tsp. sugar or honey
3/4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. vegetable oil
2 1/2 to 3 cups all-purpose flour
Raisins
1 egg
Water
Green food coloring

Dissolve yeast in warm water. Whisk in sugar/honey, salt, and oil. Slowly fold in flour, as it becomes harder to stir, turn the dough onto a lightly floured countertop and dust the dough with flour. Knead the dough by folding it in half and pressing it with the palm of your hand until it springs back when you poke it lightly with a finger. Form into ball and place in lightly greased bowl. Dust dough with flour and cover it with a clean cloth towel. Let it rise for 30 minutes. (Shouldn't spring back, now)

After the dough has risen once, punch it down and form balls for the shell (6in. diameter), head (3in.) , and legs (2in.), and assemble on a greased cookie sheet. Etch a crisscross pattern on top of shell with a knife. Use 2 raisins for eyes. Let rise for 30 more minutes. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Brush lightly with egg wash ( 1 egg whisked with 1 tbs. water and couple drops green food coloring) and bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown. Makes 2 turtles 


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Check out hashtag #occupywallstreet on Twitter for more information involving the protest on Wall Street including links to the VIOLENT arrests of several PEACEFUL protesters.

Football Food

 It's Sunday and like in many American households Sunday means football in the Fall. I actually made a batch of these this morning and decided to share. They're fun and tasty, the perfect football season treat!

Mini Football Subs

Ingredients

• Meatballs
• Spaghetti sauce

• Shredded Cheese
• Individual-size rolls

Instructions

1. To make a batch, first prepare your favorite meatball recipe, shaping each meatball into a mini football before cooking. Once they're cooked, add the meatballs to a skillet of spaghetti sauce and warm them through.
2. For each sub, cut a V-shaped notch from the top of an individual-size roll, place a meatball in the roll, and top with cheese shred laces. Finally, get the sandwiches in a huddle on a cookie sheet and place them in a warm oven for a few minutes to melt the cheese.

Recipe discovered at Family Fun
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Harvest Season!

I like to try to keep things seasonal. Not only is it cheaper at the grocery store but it is also traditional. There are so many traditions that have been lost in our society that help build family connections. My children LOVE harvest season. Blackberries are ready for picking and there is nothing quiet like fresh veggies right out of your own garden!

What's in season?

• Fruits - raspeberries, melons, grapes, figs and damsons, blackberries, blueberries, pears, apples and plums.
  As you can see, it's prime pie time! Remember to wash the fruit well and enjoy them uncooked for light deserts, or prepare your favorite pie centers by gently cooking the fruit in their natural juices. You can always add a handful of raisins for sweetness.
• Vegetables - spinach, squash and sweetcorn. Tomatoes and runner beans, potatoes, pumpkins, peppers and wild mushrooms. Lettuce, leaks, cucumber and cauliflower, aubergines, artichokes, broccoli and beetroot. Corgette, celery fennel and green beans.

If you're familiar with Pagan traditions then you already know that Mabon is coming in the US. Mabon is the Harvest Festival and is celebrated next week. So, for my first recipes I'll feature some to celebrate the harvest! Today is a family favorite dinner.


All Things Harvested Pot Roast
4-5lb pot roast
1 stick butter
1 large onion sliced
3 celery stalks, chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped
¼ tsp. dried thyme
¼ tsp. dried parsley
1 bay leaf
1/8 tsp. black pepper
¼ tsp. salt
2-10oz cans French onion soup
4 large potatoes, quartered
1-8oz package raw baby carrots
1-16oz pkg. frozen broccoli/cauliflower mix

In dutch oven or oven safe pot w/lid brown both side of the roast, using half the butter. Set the roast aside. With remaining butter, saute' the onion, garlic, and celery until onions are tender and beginning to brown. Add the the thyme, parsley, bay leaf, and pepper. Mix well and then return the pot roast to the pan. Sprinkle salt over the roast and add the french onion soup. Cook at 325 degrees for 4 hours. Baste meat as needed. Add potatoes and carrots and salt to taste. Cook for another 45 minutes. Add broccoli/cauliflower mix and cook for 20 more minutes. Serve with hot bread.

Makes 8 servings 

Opening the Window

I've always been a nature lover, always loved climbing trees and running wild in the woods. When I was a kid I always thought I would live in the woods. Then I grew up, I had kids, I lived mostly in cities. We traveled a lot but it was rare that we lived in the woods.

Three years ago we moved to Oregon. It's amazing, we fell in love, we lived in Portland. Several months ago we made another move. Welches Oregon is a small town, actually it's one of the Villages of Mt Hood. We live within walking distance of some great hiking trails. It's perfection. My children love their new back yard.


Eight? Yeah, every night I cook for eight or more people. My husband, myself, our six children, and various guests from family to other kids that are visiting. Sometimes even random people from the neighborhood stop in to grab a bite as everyone knows we won't turn away someone who's hungry.

We budget, we're by no means well off, and yet somehow we always have plenty to feed ourselves and share. I have lots of tips, tricks, and recipes that I use daily. Again, I like to share. So you will find such things here, things that interest me and my family.