Spanish lesson

We just got back from the condo gym (basically a place to get out of our unit and the kids can run around, no one is ever in there and the kids LOVE the space to run). We have been working on Spanish since we've been here and Elle is learning quite a few words. Watching Dora the Explorer has been a great way of learning some words as well. At the gym Elle was pretending to be Dora and she had Christian being Boots (Dora's little monkey friend). She kept saying I was "gorilla"... I couldn't recall any episode with a gorilla... but I went along with it... She was pretending to take care of me because I was "sick" and was bringing me "soup" (in the form of a large exercise ball) she kept calling me "gorilla" I then recalled the episode where Dora takes her grandma soup because she is sick. And then it hit me... Abuela is the Spanish word for "grandma"!! HA! Abuela sounds like "gorilla"! Love it! Maybe we are not making as much progress as I thought... =)

Pumpkin Spice Homemade Bagels

I finally was able to find the needed spices to make these bagels. I had hoped to make them a while ago but Allspice and and ground cloves were next to impossible to find here in Miami... Here is the magazine I got the recipe from...

I totally messed up the recipe. Elle was helping me and I didn't notice that I had her put in a cup and 2/3 water, when I only needed 2/3's of a Cup! I was so lost as to why I kept needin to add a bunch more flour than the recipe called for...and they were still so sticky.... But all that being said, they turned out tasteing really good and if nothing else, they made our condo smell DELICIOUS! =) So I still thought I'd share the recipe because it is great to know how to make your own bagels and they are sort of festive.

Let's just notice... these are mine finished....

 Let's see that photo again...

Here is what they are suppose to look like....

Mine are deflated bagel pancakes! =) But YUMMY nonetheless... =)

Here's the recipe... The magazine had it for a bread machine or not and canned pumpkin, but I will show how to do it without a bread machine and I used fresh pumpkin... which I have never done before... Baked pumkin seeds are really good!

Ingrediants:

2/3 Cup water (110-115 degrees for the yeast)- This is where I went wrong!
3/4 Cup fresh pumpkin, or 1/2 Cup canned pumpkin
1/3 Cup Packed Brown Sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
3/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
3 Cups Bread Flour
1 Package active dry yeast
1 egg white
1 Tbsp. Cornmeal (I didn't have this-therefore, didn't use it...)

Directions:
1. In a large bowl dissolve yeast in 2/3 Cup water.
2. Add the pumpkin, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and cloves. Mix well.
3. Stir in enough flour to form a soft dough.
4. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes.
5. Place in a bowl coated with cooking spray, turning once to coat the top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
6. Punch dough down and shape into balls with a whole in the middle- see photo above with the flour on the counter... mine were so sticky, this was tough to make "pretty".
7. Bring water to boiling in a large pot (about 3-4 inches of water in there). Place 2 bagels at a time in the boiling water for 45 seconds and then turn them over and leave for another 45 seconds.
8. Remove the bagels from the water and allow to dry on a paper towel.
9. Wisk egg white and brush over the bagels. Coat cooking sheet with cooking spray and sprinkle with cornmeal (I didn't do that). Place bagels 2 inches appart and bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire racks.

The smell alone is worth it.... mmmmmmmmmm

Our "back yard"

Elle hardley ever takes naps anymore, but today, she wanted to take one in "our back yard". She hauled the blankets out onto the veranda (is that what this is called?) and cozied down.

I am just trying to ignore the fact that we can't even walk out on this "veranda" barefoot without coming in with black feet from all the soot and dirt that blows up from the street and parking area. Those blankets needed to be washed anyway... I am considering that both kids are napping AT THE SAME TIME a complete victory! =)

Forgotten Dream Cookies

These are my favorite cookies. They were a recipe of my grandma's that I remember helping my mom make as a child.

They are super SWEET...which is of course why they are my favorite...

Here's the recipe:

2 egg whites

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

1/2 Cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

6 oz. chocolate chips (I use a bit more)

With beater, beat egg whites until foamy. Add salt and cream of tarter. Beat until whites form stiff peaks. (make sure to really beat them..don't rush this phase) Add sugar gradually while beating. Beat in vanilla. Fold in chocolate chips. Drop teaspoonfuls on greased cookie sheet. Put in preheated 350 degree oven. Turn oven OFF and leave them in there for at least 3 hours or overnight.

They should be crunchy and airy. If they are too sticky or gooey, then you may not have beat the whites long enough.

Mattheson Hammock Park

Michael has been here nearly two months and this last Sunday was the first time he's gone to the beach! Poor guy... every Sunday (his only day off) the weather isn't very good or we have something else going on. But it was beautiful this weekend. Mattheson Hammock Park is suppose to be one of the best beach parks for families in Miami. They made this little lagoon so it offer wave free swimming for the kids. They love it! It is such a gradual slope that the kids can play and we can relax.

Oh and they have these great things someone called "membrane sacks"... I don't really know what they are or what they're from, but Elle loves to play with them... they are slimmy, gooey and all over the place. This is a tiny one...most are much larger.

Christian was making it "snow" sand... that's always fun...

Beautiful...

Open your eyes

Elle wanted me to take her picture. I was trying to get Elle to smile without squinting her eyes... all the pictures of her smiling always have little slits for her eyes... Here is her first attempt...

Here is the second... oh dear...

FINALLY! =)

Render your own LARD!

I know, I know... "Lard" sounds disgusting and HORRIBLE for you.... well I was certainly suprised to learn that is is actually considered FAR better for you than shortening (think Cristco). It has a great deal of Vitamin D in it, (which is especially important for people in often cloudy areas like western Washington) and it is considered to be the closest type of fat to what our own bodies have and therefore our bodies know what to do with it. Also, for anyone curious, here is the USDA's fatty acid breakdown for 1 Tablespoon of lard verses one Tablespoon of butter:

Lard: 1.4g polyunsaturated; 5.8g monounsaturated (think Olive Oil type fat); 5g saturated.
Butter: 0.4g polyunsaturated; 3g monounsaturated; 7.3g saturated.

So for those that are "against" saturated fats...lard has less...

 I love flaky pie crusts and don't want to give those up, but the only flaky pie crusts I have had success with are made with shortening (Crisco). I think Crisco is one of the most unhealthy things out there, so I started researched what else will make a flaky pie crust and found that lard (which of course is what many of our grandmothers, or great grandmothers used when there was no "Crisco") is suppose to produce an even superior crust! So I was excited to say the least that it is also healthier for us. So let's just "get over" the stigma attached. I challenge you to research how they make Crisco and then tell me lard is "bad for you" or gross...

Anyway...

I searched high and low for  "leaf lard" (soft creamy fat from around the pig's kidneys) as it is suppose to be ideal for pastries and pie crusts. I was not able to find it here in Miami.... can't wait to just get it from our own pigs... so I settled with pig back fat, with is still suppose to be remarkable... everything I read agreed it makes excellent Mexican food, green beans, corn bread, etc.. and of course anything you want to fry. Also, I took two separate drainings from the pan. The first was earlier on in the cooking process and is supposedly better for pastries and pie crusts and the later will have a little "porkie" flavor to it and is better for other uses.
Here is the pig fat I got from my new favorite food source. Sea Breeze Farms- It's over 2 hours north of Miami, but they deliver down here every two weeks. I wanted fat from a grass fed, no hormone fed, no antibiotics pig. (more on Sea Breeze Farms in a future post) I think these things are important as often the chemicals/drugs/hormones settles in the fat of  animals and so I wanted something without all that. Lard you can buy at the store is NOT the same.. it is partially hydrogenated to give it uniform texture and longer shelf life...and more than likely it is made from factory raised hogs fed all kinds of nasty stuff.

First cut up the fat. The smaller the peices, the faster it will cook...

Turn the burner to med-low. If anything you want it lower. If you cook it too hot than it will taste "porkie". Put a small ammount of water in the bottom of the pan (I was cooking 2 lbs of fat and put about 1/4 cup of water in the pan). And then put the fat cubes in.

When the peices start to float to the top (after about 20-30 minutes..maybe longer if you are cooking on real low heat). Drain your first "juices" . I put a peice of cheese cloth over the jar to strain out any small peices from dropping in. Then put back on the stove to continue cooking.

Stir every once in a while... and WATCH OUT, once they get going they really pop and splatter. This is why I used this big pot for such a small batch. It really contained it well, but if you are using a smaller pan or doing a large batch wear an apron if you care about your clothes, keep kids back and watch out! =)

This is what it looks like when it is nearly done. The fat peices are floating- this is how they make Pork Rinds. (is that how you spell it!? I have never eaten them, but Michael loves them and I am saving these for him. I guess they are good in other things too and there are many recipes out there for their use). This is after about 45min-an hour  or about 20-30 minutes after the first draining. Also- you don't HAVE to do a first draining, I just did because I wanted some for pie crust making. Which you really could use the end stuff for too, it just might taste a little different.

I couldn't get my pictures arranged in order for some reason, but here is the 2nd draining.

The second draining is on the left, the first on the right. The first is lighter in color.

Here is the first draining up close. Much lighter than the second.

Here they are in the fridge after about 2 1/2 hours. They have cooled and "solidfied" and are ready for use.

Everything I read says it freezes well or you can can it with sealed lid and store it for a LONG LONG time, I didn't mess with that as I plan to use mine this next week and I only did a small amount. PLUS... Get this... I can NOT find canning jars anywhere in Miami!!! No joke... not even Wal Mart has them!! I had brought these from home, but I had no lids for them... Seriously.... NO canning jars or lids that I can find... I will keep looking...people sort of look at me sideways when I ask at the stores if they carry them...

This was a very simple process... some sources said it makes the house smell and to open windows and doors when you do it. Others stated that the smell is only there if you are cooking it too hot or possibly using not very good pig fat... there will be a slight smell... you are cooking animal fat... but it shouldn't be bad at all. Mine did not smell hardley at all.  

If you can't find a farmer to buy pig fat from, you should be able to get some from a butcher, but I would reccomend learning about the living conditions of the pig it is coming from. 

I will let you know how my pie crust turns out! =)  

Elle Prayer Story

We were at a new park yesturday. The kids were playing on the toys. There was a little girl there (probably not even 5 years old... no bigger than Elle) that was a complete terror. Within 30 seconds of us being there she ran up and hit Elle. Her mom looked at Elle and said " If she hits you, you just hit her back." (!!! WHAT?!!!) Then the little girl proceeded to run up to Christian and pull around his neck chocking him while trying to kiss him. Then she went over to Elle and pinched her check. The mom had the kids leave shortly thereafter, but not without the girl throwing a complete fit screaming and kicking as the mom carried her away.
We were in the van, leaving the park and Elle was talking about what "bad choices" the girl was making and "not listening to her mom". The poor girl was just never taught different. I told Elle it was too bad she was allowed to act like that and we should pray for her. So we did. After Elle asked "Does God hear when we pray?" I said "yes, always." She said, "Oh, because He's in your heart?" "Yes." "Oh, and He's in the Uncle's heart, and nana's and papa's and Darsey's?" (Darsey is my parents dog.) I said, "Yes, He's in the uncles, nana's and papa's hearts, but I don't know if God's in animal's hearts."  Elle: "Oh, we'll just have to look it up online." =) HA!

Family Friendly Farming, Joel Salatin

Finished Family Friendly Farming by Joel Salatin (Poly Face Farm owner) the other day. An interesting tidbit from it...
Thomas Jefferson, when penning the words "the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness", actually didn't write "pursuit of happiness". He wrote "pursuit of property".
"The founders viewed the freedome to own and utilize property as an inalienable right, a right, in fact uniquely American. That was a critical aspect that separated the American experiment from other governments of the day. Land in Europe belonged to the various kings, and was doled out according  to despotic whim. The idea of any commoner actually being able to own land was a new idea, and the fouonders so equated it with being able to persue dreams that they just edited it to "happiness", never dreaming that anyone would interpret that fundamental right as anything except property." (Page 131)

Interesting....

Homemade sweet popcorn

I made this last night (I failed to take any photo's) and it is SO yummy, so I thought I'd share...

1/4 Cup Vegetable Oil
3/4 Cup Yellow Popcorn Kernels
2 Tablespoons Granulated Sugar
3 Tablespoons of unsalted butter melted
Sea salt to taste

Put Oil and 1 (yes 1) kernel into a 6-8 Quart pot. Cover with lid. Set over high  heat. Stay near by so you can hear when that one kernel pops. When it does add the rest of the kernels and sprinkle the sugar on tp. Cover with the lid and shake the pot over the burner to spread the sugar. Shake once or twice more until the popping starts and then shake constantly until the popping slows down considerably...this takes no time at all... a couple minutes or so at most.
Put the popcorn in a bowl and drizzle the butter over it and add salt to taste.

Ornaments

Elle and I made ornaments with baking clay. Can you tell which ones I made and which ones she made?! =)

Thanksgiving

We went to Michael's college friend's house for Thanksgiving. It was so nice to get out of the city. The drive was amazing along Alligator Alley. We could see alligators basking in the sun on the banks of a river along the highway. There were SO many birds and so much green...the Everglades are incredible. The dinner was incredible and then oddly enough, we went to the beach! It was so weird to have Thanksgiving dinner and then go to the beach. The kids had so much fun playing in their yard. So much room to run and play....they miss our land.

I love these photo's of the kids playing their piano because it reminds me of holiday get togethers at my aunt Mary's. As far as I can remember I have this image of her and my uncle David sitting together at the piano playing songs at holiday get togethers.

They're not quite as sofisticated as my aunt and uncle....

But that's okay... =)

My beautiful daughter

We just got back from the park. There was another family there with two kids playing on the toys. They mostly spoke Spanish to each other, but spoke to me as well in English a bit. They were very friendly and after a couple minutes of the kids playing the gentleman told me how beautiful Elle is.. "Your daughter is so beautiful. We (his wife and him...in Spanish) were just talking about how incredible looking she is." They had the slightest question in their voice, something about the statement.... at the word "daughter"... I understood that they questioned if she was mine. I responded, "Oh, thank you so much.... my husband is really good looking." and smiled. With out missing a beat, they looked at eachother and he let out a breath of understanding and said, "Ooooohhh... I see." about 3 seconds passed (quite a long time really...try counting it out) and he said, "must be good combination."  with a nod of his head. What a save! HA! =) Nice try... I know she doesn't look like me...and when I meet new people when with Michael I often just want to say... "I know, I know....but I have a GREAT personality!" =D

Ukulele

We got a Ukulele!!!

I love the sound a ukulele makes and it is small enough the kids could learn when they are young. I am not musical AT ALL but this only has four strings and I am just following the kids lesson book and learning songs... it'll be a fun addition to any future "hoe-down" we have back at the farm! =) Michael was really itching for a musical instrument (he is REAL musical) so this was the solution.

It makes Elle a little crazy...

maybe a LOT crazy...

With Christian's crooked teeth and under bite, red hair and wide duck feet we have always invisioned him stomping in the barn barefoot with that goofy smile and a banjo on his knee (no offense to any banjo players out there, but for some reason that was just the instrument that seemed to fit his unique appearance and personality), so maybe this ukulele will be a good start for him.

Homemade Soft Pretzels

On parchment paper before going into boiling water

Boiling,

draining

Salted... no very good with the sprinkling! I don't even have Elle to blame on this.. that was me...

I got this recipe out of a magazine- Grit Country Skills Series- Guide to Homemade bread.

1 1/2 Cups warm water

2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast

1 Tablespoon Sugar

3 1/2 Cups all-purpose flour

1 Tablespoon salt

1 egg

Coarse or Kosher salt

Water bath consists of: about a gallon of water and 1 Tablespoon Baking soda

1. In large bowl, combine warm water, yeast and sugar; let sit for 5 minutes, or until foamy.

2. In separate bowl, combine flour and salt. Add to yeast mixture and mix until it comes together. Use your hands to combine into a ball. On lighly floured work surface, knead dough for a few minutes until a smooth, sticky dough forms.

3. Place dough in oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let sit for about 45 minutes.

4. On lightly floured work surface, divide dough into 8 equal pieces. Roll each peice into a long rope, 18-20 inches long. (Don't over flour your hands or work surface as this will make the pieces more difficult to roll.) Twist each peice into a pretzell shape by placing the arc of the pretzel at the bottom (closest to you). Round the two ends so they're facing the arc and twist them around;"paste" them to opposite sides of the arc, using a little water, if necessary. Place on baking sheet covered with parchment paper.

5. Prepare water bath. (don't forget the baking soda!) Once boiling, use slotted spatula to trasnfer each pretzel into water and boil for 3 minutes (I did 4 at a time), flipping once halfway through. Drain on a cooling rack and transfer parboiled pretzels back to parchment-lined baking sheet.

6. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Brush egg wash (beat one egg with 1 tablespoon water) generously over each pretzel and sprinkle with coarse or kosher salt.

7. Bake for 25 minutes.

They are yummy! No quite Aunt Annies (my favorite kind!) or Weltzels but then again, they are not coated in butter (although you could), don't cost $5 each and you know exactly what is in them. I think I am going to try and add raisins and cinnamon to the dough next time I try them... and maybe make 10 instead of 8 with the dough so they are a little thinner. It was a fun one for Elle to help with- watching the yeast grow and get bubbly, working the dough, rolling them out, shapeing the pretzels and painting the egg wash on them.

Fun tip: How to make your own brown sugar

I didn't know this! Maybe it is common knowledge...but I still thought I wouldd post this because I think it's great to know and I had no clue; so maybe someone else has no clue too! =)

For every Cup of granulated sugar add 1Tablespoon of molasses for light brown sugar and 2 Tablespoons for dark brown sugar. Combine with electric mixer on medium-low to medium high speed (start slow and gradually increase speed) until the molasses is incorporated and the mixture becomes fluffy brown sugar....takes almost 10 minutes or so... you want all the molasses balls blended in.

That simple! How great if you are baking something and realize you're out of brown sugar- no trip to the store needed if you have granulated sugar and molasses on hand.

I raised a chicken

Warning*** another "potty" story... =)
I was sitting in the living room yesturday, reading a book (You Can Farm by Joel Salatin- SUCH a good one!) and I hear Elle screaming. She was working with her art stuff on the floor of my bedroom.  Her screaming is not normal, so I feared she was hurt or managed to cut herself with the child proof sissors, I went running to the room... There she was, on the toilet in the master bedroom, bach bach baching at the top of her lungs like a chicken! She looked up and saw me and smiled and said she was "announcing that she just laid some eggs." I think I laughed a little too hard as now this is a regular event when she is going potty. Oh dear...

The beginning of a dream

I got Elle (let's be honest...and me) a pottery wheel ($25 at WalMart). I have been wanting desparately to learn how to use a pottery wheel for years and years and hope to some day have a set up in our barn for a wheel, but in the mean time this will have to suffice.

Elle LOVED it. We were a total mess, which of course is always fun, and she was pretty good at it. (A little heavy on the water...)

We made this as a toothbrush holder for her bathroom.... she accidently broke it the next day...

Here's what the box looks like if you're interested. (again, I think it was $25 at WalMart...doesn't come with batteries though). I will say, the end product can't hold water though... so although they show a vase and a mug and plant pot... don't plan to make those if you want to use water in them. =)

Pinecrest Gardens

 

The kids and I went to check out this place about 35 minutes from where we live. It is BEAUTIFUL. All of the house plants I see sold in stores in WA.... are here, growing in magnificant splendor; making the ones back home look like they are barely surviving.

This is "Swan Lake". Amazing right?

Look at that swan! If someone would have asked me if I had seen a swan before I would have said "yes" with an "of couse" attitude. But after seeing this.... I realize... I couldn't possibly have ever seen one before... I would have remembered how HUGE they are! Just miraculous.

ROAR!

This was their "petting zoo". I was a little disappointed in this aspect to say the least... but the pigs that were there were super cute and the kids enjoyed seeing them. I can't wait to get pigs on our farm. I have been researching ones that are really good with kids and how to care for them so they don't stink. Yummy bacon!

Those are turtels behind the swan...