To Learn, To Do, and To Become

This past Christmas our family adopted a new motto.  As we have worked toward our goals of self sufficiency, we have been seeing the world we live in differently.  For many years, as we were presented with the latest and greatest, the new and the innovative, and the cannot survive without mentalities.  We have worked hard to earn our living so that one day we could have nice things.  We looked for ways to scrimp and save in lean times; mostly furnishing our home, and clothing our bodies, with anything available as second hand.  As we would continually receive new to us, and occasionally properly new, items in our home, we would use them and then squirrel them away to be used again when the need arose.  With a growing family, we wanted to make sure our needs were met.  It hadn't yet occurred to us that these were often opportunities for us to collect things that we didn't actually need.  Our home began to fill to overflowing with much more than we needed, or could manage.

As we looked around us, the thought of going out and purchasing more stuff that would simply add to the clutter of our already cluttered home was feeling like too much.  We were constantly purchasing more bins, in order to store more things that we rarely used anyway.  We needed a change.  It was time to de-clutter our home, but more than that it was time to find a focus on what it was we really need.  

One day, after a lot of thought, Henry introduced the idea.  For Christmas we would only ask for something to help us learn something new, a project for us to do, or the means to a goal for what we wanted to become.  

Our oldest son wanted to learn how to make movies through video editing.  Our oldest daughter wanted to progress toward starting a tea and cupcake shop.  Our second son wanted to learn to make video games, like his dad.  Our third son wanted to learn to build things.  Our little girl wanted to learn where baby bunnies came from, and raise bunnies.  Our youngest is still to young to know what he wanted, or at least to communicate it to us.

Christmas morning was a little different.  Instead of the toy that the kids had picked out from the yearly adds, there was something for each of us that encouraged us to learn and grow as individuals.  There were books on various subjects, tools, seeds, and even a bunny.  Despite the obvious lack of toys for our young children, ranging in age from 1-11 years, everyone was excited.  We all had direction, and motivation; the ability to gain knowledge was before us, rather than yet another myriad of ways in which to leisure away our time.

This has become one of the most meaningful changes in our lives to date.  The ability to look forward, as we are provided the information and tools that we need to progress in our personal goals, has completely changed our perspective.  We no longer feel the need to fill our empty spaces with things that we might need one day; we are working toward our interests and our goals.  Put simply, we are bringing things into our lives that will help us to learn, to do, and to become.

A Beautiful New Quilt

There is something wonderful about a handmade quilt. The colors, patterns, and attention to detail come together and become something magical. I know I’m not the only one that has a special attachment to a homemade quilt. Now I have been able to make another one.

Since embarking on this huge project, I have had several friends share with me stories about their favorite quilts; made by mothers and grandmothers, they become precious heirlooms, in which we can literally wrap ourselves up in the memories.

I have so many memories of beautiful handmade quilts.  A few of them involve me playing under a quilting frame while my mother and aunts tied and visited above me.  I remember the baby quilts my mother used to make, in preparation for a new sibling; I am so grateful to have 2 of her homemade blankets for my own children. I love seeing quilts, and hearing the stories behind them; because they always have a story. 

I remember the first time I tried my hand at quilting (pictured on the left), and how it seemed to me that making quilts was one of the many skills necessary to becoming a woman; though this world view has vastly broadened and expanded, I am so grateful for these experiences.  Over the years I have had the opportunity to have other beautiful quilts made for me.  Each of them beautiful in their own way, as they share the creativity of those who made them.  I’ve greatly enjoyed pouring myself into my own.

These days it seems, quilting has gone from a common craft done by many, to an expensive art form that is only really done by artists and hobbyists. It is often an overwhelming prospect.  Fabric is expensive, it is very time consuming, and projects that big are difficult to complete. Creative perfection is also a daunting task.  At least that is the oft accepted narrative.

As I was preparing for my homemade Christmas gifts this year, however, I suddenly decided that it was time to take on the challenge. The fabric and batting prices were all marked down, and I had coupons to deepen the discount. We have been needing a new quilt; our favorite one has become tattered and torn from overuse. So, I went for it, deciding that I would follow the same method I had used years previous. After all, I knew I could follow the same simple pattern again without too much difficulty.

The process was simple, but time consuming. It’s hard for me to believe that I found all the hours in the space of 3 months!  Granted, other projects and upkeep didn't garner all the attention that they should have, yet this was one of the most enjoyable projects that I have done in recent years.  I often forget how calming sewing can be. Here is a little bit about my process. 

First, I picked out the fabric, then called my mom to ask her how much I would need (thanks mom!); it had been a long time, and I genuinely had no idea. Measuring out the size of a queen/king bedspread, and calculating the squares and seam allowance I decided to get 4 yards each of 6 different fabric pieces. I learned the last time that once a fabric print is sold out, it’s gone.  I was determined to have more than I needed this time, just in case. I also purchased flannel for the backing, as well as a  king sized package of batting, and thread. Then I got to work, on my kids gifts... anticlimactic, I know, but they were easier, quicker, and were more vital to complete on time. I’ll be sharing that process also, soon enough.

Once I had finished my kids indoor sleeping bags, I was finally able to start on the quilt. I knew that November 20th was too close to Christmas to complete the entire quilt, so I settled on the most impressive part, the top.

                 

I cut the fabric into 5” strips than into 5”x5” squares with my rotary cutter and cutting mat. This took time… I cut out around 120 squares of each fabric. That’s 720 squares.  Eventually I had to cut a few more squares, and some others were set aside, in order to complete the pattern.  I hadn’t settled on how exactly the pattern would form, until I could lay it out and see the pieces together.  With this type of quilt, having all the pieces the same size and shape, this was not too much of a concern.

The next step was creating tucks, or pleats, in the squares. I sewed each tuck on my machine, a seam that was the width and length of the pressure foot on the center of each of the 4 sides of the squares. It took about 3-4 hours per fabric piece. I picked up on ways to speed up the process as I went; one of those is pictured above; by chaining the pieces together.  I forward and backstitched, and then cut them apart once the individual tuck was complete. The process became much neater. 

I finally got through the tedium of individual sewing, snipping, sewing, and sniping again. At that point, I was finally able to really nail down a design, and lay it all out. Here are a few of the ideas that I went through to find the right pattern.

 

I decided to use a similar design to the around the world pattern I used nearly 2 decades ago (yikes), but with a twist. You can see what I settled on here.

After the design was settled, I collected the squares in rows, to keep them in order, and put them in bags labeled by the number of the row. I ended up with 25x27 rows, with an extra boarder row all the way around. This brought the tally up to 27x29 squares. It is big enough for a king sized bed, and on my queen it will drape far enough to cover the box spring. Here is a picture of it at 25x25 squares.

                              

Once completed, the top had to wait a couple of weeks before I was ready to start the really time-consuming bit, the quilting.

The backing, as mentioned above, was flannel. It is nice and soft, and I’m hoping it will have an added benefit of not sliding around on the bed. There was a problem, however, once I got ready to put it all together. The top was too big... I ended up needing another length of flannel to piece together enough fabric to cover the back. I measured out a strip at about 15” and sewed it into the center. I then sewed the top to the bottom along 3 edges, and prepared the batting.



The batting was thinner than expected, sigh, but I wasn’t about to go get more. I rolled it out and trimmed it to size, on top of the inside out quilt. With my husband’s help, we gathered and turned the quilt right side out. After making sure everything was even, and the batting was properly in place, it was time to put it up on the frame.

I was fortunate enough to borrow a quilting stand from our friends at Clyde Acres Farm. The boards I used for the frame are 1”x4”x10’ lengths of pine, which I purchased at Home Depot, in order to fit the quilt. Even at 10 feet the boards weren’t long enough to accommodate the quilt’s full length, it barely contained the width.  At first I attached the quilt to the frame with a length of the end hanging off, once I made enough progress, I was able to readjust, and fit the rest.

Rather than taking the easy route of tying, I decided that this particular quilt needed to be properly quilted. For more than a month I spent every extra moment, as well as inviting friends to help me, as I stitched, and stitched, and stitched. Bringing back memories of the childhood quilt tents.  Finally, a week later than I had intended, the quilting was done; and I was exhausted. I had gotten into a terrible habit of working on it until 1-2am.

After finishing the quilting, only the binding was left.  On one of the sides the backing did not match up to the front, so I was required to unpick a few feet and re-do that section as well.  Because of the boarder, and the general look of the quilt, I decided that a hidden stitch along the edge would be the perfect finish.  As other responsibilities refused to be ignored any longer, it took several days before I found time to do these final stiches.  A few minutes here and there finally brought about completion! 

This project was a very pleasant one.  Having a time limit was quite useful, and it helped me keep up my motivation.  I enjoyed this process enough that, eventually, I’d love to take on another quilting project.  I hope that you enjoyed learning about this experience, thanks for reading!

Chili and Homemade Chili Powder

Chili is a fall favorite. And though I like it, I have to admit, it’s hasn’t always been my favorite. I liked it well enough, but could never find just the right combination of flavor to make it crave-able. Over the years I have had my recipe evolve, but for a long time it was good, just not great.

I recently bought an 8 quart instant pot, because among other things, I wanted an easier way to cook beans, that wouldn’t take as long and dirty as many dishes. I’ve really enjoyed working with it, and I’m excited to share some of the things I have played with while using this tool.

In a previous post, documenting my Black beans and rice, I experimented with adding the excess liquid from my pico de gallo into the beans as I cooked them. It had fantastic results. In my chili, I took that idea and ran with it. I also used some of the pepper powder that we made from our abundance of peppers we grew this year. I’ll include that recipe as well.

The chili recipe is as follows

Chili

1 c dry Black beans
1 c dry navy beans
1 2/3 c dry light red kidney beans
1 1/3 c dry pinto beans
All beans rinsed, sorted, and soaked overnight. Quick soak can also be used by boiling rinsed and sorted beans for 10 minutes, then leaving them to sit for one hour. Soaking water should be discarded, and beans again rinsed thoroughly.

Soaked beans
2 T chili powder
2 T smoked chili powder (home developed spice)
1 t hot chili powder (home developed spice)
1/2 t powdered cyan pepper
1 t turmeric
1 t cumin
46 fluid oz tomato juice
2-3 cups water



These ingredients are to be combined in the instant pot, then cooked on the bean setting for 20 minutes pressure. Use a quick release method, by opening the steam vent until pressure drops.

1 lb ground beef
1 medium onion diced
1 medium green pepper diced
1 T chili powder
1/2 t salt
1/4 t ground black pepper



As the beans are pressure cooking, cook ground beef with onion, peppers, and seasonings. Once pressure is released add it to the pot, as well as:

1 quart diced tomatoes
1 can tomato paste
1T salt

It can all be sautéed together to combine the flavors until combined and heated through. I enjoyed adding a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkling of fresh green onions and grated cheese, as they greatly compliment the flavor.


The first of the homemade spices, the smoked chili powder, I can’t recall the actual recipe. We basically took all the peppers we had and smoked them on our BBQ grill. We then removed the stems and seeds, dehydrated them, and ground them into a powder. The smoky flavor is a great addition to the chili!

The hot chili powder recipe is as follows.

Homemade Chili powder:

30 banana peppers
15 jalapeños
Green onions. (We did around 20 from our garden)
4 garlic heads
2 tablespoons sea salt

Slice the peppers in half and lay them out (seed side up) on dehydrator trays. Clean the green onions and lay them whole on dehydrator trays. Crush the cloves from the four heads of garlic with the side of a kitchen knife (this also allows you to pull the garlic paper off easily). Put the crushed garlic cloves on dehydrator trays. Dehydrate all of them until they are done (took us about two and a half days with our dehydrator). Temperature should be at around 135 degrees Fahrenheit. Once it is done, turn off the dehydrator and let them sit until they have cooled.

Once they are dehydrated and cooled, put them in a bullet blender (or off brand of a similar type). Blend a bit at a time until you can fit everything in. Add the sea salt. Then blend in bursts and pull it off to shake it up in between. Continue this until it is all a powder.

Put in ziplock bags (we double bag) or an airtight container. Label and then you can store or use it.

If you want it a little less spicy, simply remove the seeds from the peppers. Enjoy!

Sauerkraut

Fermentation is an interesting process.  It is also one that we started a little tentatively.  Since then we have really appreciated the knowledge that we have gained from it.

It can be a little scary, in the modern food climate, where we are informed how food needs to be refrigerated, otherwise it will go bad.  I can remember a time when I was profoundly confused that refrigeration, in the methods we use today, have only existed since electricity became widely available.  I knew that canning was a often used preservation technique, and that some food remained stable at room temperature; but there were so many things that, according to my understanding, required refrigeration.  I remember asking myself 'How was it possible for previous generations to keep food from rotting without this essential tool?' Over time I have learned that there are many methods of food preservation that most of us have never heard of.  Some of these are smoking and curing meats, brining, salting, and you guessed it, fermenting.

All of these methods have become more interesting to us, as we have been learning to be more self reliant.  When we started fermenting we experimented with several different foods.  We started in small batches, so we would be able to get the process right.  A few of the foods that we prepared through this process were kimchi, homemade soda with a ginger bug, and sauerkraut.  Eventually I'll have to post about our explosive apple beer...

After experimenting a bit, until we got it right, we learned how good homemade sauerkraut is.  It's delicious!  It has been quite a while since we've made it.  This year, however, we grew lots of purple cabbage, and needed to preserve it.  We really haven't heard of anyone making sauerkraut from purple cabbage before, but we decided that we would give it a try.  (We are getting a lot of purple out of our garden this year.)

Now that I'm done pontificating, lets get to how it's made.

When making sauerkraut, it is important to note that normal city tap water can ruin the fermenting process.  Because of the chlorine content of the water, the bacteria cultures that are needed to cause fermentation can be killed by rinsing the leaves of the cabbage.  Because of this we will peal away the outer leaves of the cabbage, and will directly process it without washing the produce.  Any foreign material is wiped away to avoid contamination.  The vinegar that is produced during fermentation also will kill harmful bacteria, so it is safe for consumption.  Well water is typically alright though.

Simple sauerkraut basically consists of only cabbage and salt.  The type of salt is also important, normal table salt won't work, it will prevent fermentation.  It is best to use natural sea salt.  When we started, we didn't want to take any chances, so we ordered some imported raw French sea salt.  This probably wasn't entirely necessary, but it works well, and we are quirky like that. 

Once the ingredients are gathered, and the cabbage is shredded, (we used our food processor.)  starting the sauerkraut is quite simple.  It basically consists of mixing a few tablespoons of salt with the shredded cabbage, until liquid starts to seep out.  We will typically press the cabbage by hand while mixing to maximize the liquid that comes out.  The salt draws the liquid out.  Be careful not to over salt, but add enough for the liquid to accumulate.

We use a large crock for this process.  We also have a lid that we made, out of a plastic cutting board, to fit into the crock.  It presses the cabbage below the liquid level, which prevents waste. 

 

 

Once the liquid level is slightly above that of the cabbage, it is ready to start fermentation.

 

We then place a clean quart jar or two on top of the lid as a weight.

 

We cover the crock with a black trash bag, securing it with rubber bands.  This keeps foreign materials from entering the crock, while still allowing for air pressure to build up inside the crock as it ferments.

 

We put it in the basement, and place a towel on top to further block out any light, and let it do its thing.  It takes a couple of weeks for sauerkraut to ferment.  

 

For those who would like to know how our purple sauerkraut works, we will post an update when it is done.  We will also likely be learning how best to process it to make it shelf stable.  

Here are a few more pictures that we took as we harvested out cabbage.  Thanks for reading!

 

 

Homemade Granola Bars 2 Ways

There have been several updates to Experiments in Self Sufficiency that didn't make it onto the blog, and were instead posted directly to Facebook. Now that technological restrictions have been overcome, I'm working to update them here.  One of these is our experiments with making our own granola bars.

This was a fun project, and a great learning experience!  Granola Bars are one thing I have intended to learn how to make for years.  We like them, however, due to cost they are one thing that we regularly forgo.  The idea of learning to make them ourselves is an appealing one, but it seemed a little complicated.  Eventually though, we collected enough oats, nuts, seeds, and dried fruit that we decided it was time to stop planning on it and just do it.  I found a recipe on Pinterest, and as usual quadrupled it; in order for them to last more than 5 minutes in our house.  The recipe was a good starting point.

They were good, but soon I started getting ideas on how to make them even better.  After making them a couple of times now here are the recipes that I've come up with.  There may be alterations as I continue to play with the recipe.  I will update changes as they come along.

Pictured here is an earlier rendition, where I mixed the chocolate into the bars, it was very messy.  Creating a chocolate layer on top is much less messy, and more effective.


Peanut butter chocolate granola bars:
Quantity: fills 1 large baking tray

5 cups toasted oats
1 cup chopped roasted salted peanuts
1 cup sesame seeds
1 cup chopped roasted chopped almonds (optional)
2 cups chocolate chips
1 cup honey
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup peanut butter

Toast oats, and nuts if needed, in a 350* oven for 10-15 minutes. Mix oats, nuts and seeds in a large bowl.

In a saucepan on the stovetop combine honey and sugar. Bring just to a boil, then add peanut butter. Stir until smooth. Pour mixture over oats and nuts and mix. Once combined spread onto foil lined baking tray.  To flatten bars cover pan with another layer of foil, and press with a rolling pin until uniform size and shape. Sprinkle chocolate chips on top, and let melt. When it begins to set remove from tray, with the aid of the foil, and cut it into bars; waiting until it's fully cooled will make bars difficult to cut. 
Enjoy!

Fruit and nut granola bars:

(I cut this recipe in half from what I made)

Quantity: fills 1 large baking tray

5 cups toasted oats
1/2 cup toasted almonds
1/2 cup toasted pecans (Optional)
1/2 cup roasted salted peanuts
1/4-1/2 cup roasted sunflower seeds
1/2 cup dried blueberries
1/2 cup crasins chopped
1/2 cup dried cherries chopped
1/2-1 cup shredded coconut

3/4 cup coconut oil
1 cup honey
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Dash of salt

Coarsely chop nuts and dried fruit.  Toast oats and raw nuts on a baking tray at 350* for 10-15 minutes. Mix oats, nuts, and fruit together.

Combine coconut oil, honey, brown sugar, salt, and vanilla in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly and watching to make sure it doesn't boil over.

Once combined pour over oat, nut fruit mixture and combine. Once fully coated, pour into foil lined tray.  To flatten bars, cover pan with another layer of foil, and press with a rolling pin until uniform size and shape.  Let set until cooled, and cut into desired size.
Enjoy! 

Pico De Gallo and Black Beans and Rice Recipes

Pictured: Black Beans with Shreaded Pork on rice, smothered with Pico De Gallo, Purple Salsa Verde, and sour cream

I Love This Season!  Fresh tomatoes ripe for the picking, peppers coming on strong, and all just outside the door.  One of my favorite things to make in the summer is Pico De Gallo, or fresh salsa.  It is wonderful for snacking on chips, as well as a garnish on many Mexican style dishes. 

Here is one of my favorite meals that I like to make with it, black beans and rice.  I've seen this dish done in many ways.  I put my own spin on it, using what I have readily available.  So today I'm going to share both these recipes with you, since they work so wonderfully together.

Disclaimer, these aren't the most exact recipes, I tend to play with them depending on what ingredients I have on hand; each growing season is different after all.  I may decide to update the recipes over time.  For now have some fun with them, and make them your own.

Pico De Gallo

1-2 Bell Peppers
2-3 Jalapeños
2-3 Banana Peppers
3/4 of a small Purple Onion
8-10 Tomatoes
1 Bunch Cilantro
Minced Garlic to taste
Lime Juice to taste
Salt to taste
Cumin to taste

Finely dice peppers and onion (using food gloves when dicing the hot Jalapenos as the oil stays on your hands and burns), and mix them together in a large bowl.  For mild salsa remove hot pepper seeds.  Dice the tomatoes, and add to the mixture.  Chop cilantro, add garlic, and mix it in.  Season to taste with salt, cumin, and lime juice.  This is an easy recipe to alter to your personal tastes, as well as what you have on hand.

Black Beans and Rice

4 Cups Dry black Beans, soak overnight
3-4 lb Pork Roast
3-4 Jalapenos
3-4 Banana Peppers
1 Medium Onion
6 Cloves Garlic
Salt
Pepper
Juice from Pico De Gallo
Cooked Rice of your choice

This recipe works best in a crockpot.  Rinse soaked beans, and set aside.  Place Pork roast in pot with onions, peppers, and garlic for flavor.  Do not add salt at this time, the beans react poorly to salt when cooking.  Place beans around the outer edges of the pork roast, and Pour in liquid from pre-made Pico De Gallo; this will add flavor to the beans. Top off with water, close lid and cook on high for 6-8 hours, Until the beans are soft. (Sorry I don't have a more specific timeframe...)  Remove Pork, and shred, then mix it back into the beans. Add salt to taste.  Serve with rice.

                         Pictured in and Instant Pot, I'm still trying to get the hang of this machine...

Salsa Verde (Green)? More Like Salsa Morada (Purple)

Last year we were given some beautiful Tomatillos from our neighbors at Green Goddess Suburban Farmstead. We quickly learned the joys of making our very own Salsa Verde.  It was a fun experiment, which we resolved that we must repeat this year by planting our own tomatillos.  We really wanted to add some to our food storage shelves. 

We were able to procure a couple of plants from Teresa, at Green Goddess, and waited patiently for them to grow and produce fruit.  After we came back from our family vacation, we finally had some fruit coming on.  The tomatillos were deep purple, and excitement for salsa verde got the better of us.

As we prepared the salsa, it became quite evident that the finished product was not going to be green, but purple.  In color it felt more like preparing a berry chutney, something that would be fun to do someday.  For fun I learned the word for purple in Spanish, so I was using a more accurate name, I have dubbed it Salsa Morada.

We found a Roasted Tomatillo Salsa Verde recipe on Pinterest, the same one we used last year, and tweaked it to the ingredients we have on hand.  We didn't grow Anaheim chilies this year, and so we substituted extra jalapeños and some banana peppers which we have in abundance.  The peppers were unseeded, which added to the heat, so we altered the seasonings accordingly.  I believe, by the end, we ended up with a recipe something like this.  It was a little on the spicy side.

We really enjoyed this one, and hope you do too!

Salsa Verde

Yield 18 1/2 pints or 9 pints

8lbs Tomatillos
4 Medium Onions wedged
6 Whole Banana Peppers, topped
12 Whole Jalapeños, topped
3-4 Tablespoons Minced Garlic or several Garlic Cloves (we didn't have any cloves, so we improvised)
1 Bunch Cilantro Leaves
4 teaspoons Dried Oregano
1 Cup Lime Juice
8 Scant Tablespoons Cider Vinegar
4 Heaping Teaspoons Ground Cumin
3 Teaspoons Ground Black Pepper
3 Teaspoons Salt

Roast the Tomitillos, onion wedges, peppers, and garlic cloves if you have them 😉 on foil lined baking sheets in a 500* oven, 475* if convection.  Bake until tops start to char a little, and vegetables soften, about 15-20 minutes or so.  Let cool, then in batches pure' in a blender or food processer with other ingredients.  Add to large bowl and combine everything.  This is a good time to test flavor and make additions or tweaks.  Salsa can be stored in the fridge, as well as canned in a water bath for shelf storage.

Water Bath Processing time 15 minutes

To can salsa bring to a boil in a stockpot, and boil for 15 minutes.  (I kind of forgot this step, so I processed it a bit longer...)  Ladle into prepared jars, wipe rims clean and top with heated lids and rings.  Process submerged at least 1" over the top of the jars at a full rolling boil for 15 minutes.  Remove jars from water and place on a towel on the countertop.  Jars will seal themselves.  Once fully cooled, check seal on center of lids before storage.

Our Tomatillos

After Roasting

                                                                     First Half Puree'

                                                                     Loaded into Jars

                                                     After Processing, The Color Changed

Once Cooled, the Color Came Back, Only Lighter