30 Day Homesteading Challenge - October 2021

[frustratedearthmother]

I'm not really sure what I should/could learn or practice. Any inspiration?

You could try a batch of those crackers if you have some more sprouted wheat ready. Hmmm... if not... I'm fresh outta ideas. No wait, do you make homemade mayonnaise? I fail quite regularly at that one, lol!

 

[tortoise]

I do use a stick blender and I know it's supposed to be easy but it's usually not. However, the last batch I made actually thickened up - but it didn't taste so good. Dh won't eat anything but Hellman's so I need to make it taste really similar.

I make my good/healthy stuff and DH can eat it or buy his own. He buys his own junk. :shudder: He buys the worst tortilla chips (in terms of ingredients - soybean oil and TBHQ). I told him I don't want the kids eating them. I won't touch them either. DS14 has been ranting about the ingredients in "bought" tortillas - and they are pretty bad! - and then he eats a stack of plain tortillas out of the cupboard while pretending to wash dishes. 🙄🤔

I need to make tortillas! oooo, nixtamalize wheat for tortillas? https://nordicfoodlab.org/blog/2015...YzVPQSfZfOZTI2D1Qu51T2G_2x_vs2jkFwosFxLYJMSZM

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Have you ever had Kimchi? I love it and it's my favorite ferment. And, it cans well!

 

[Britesea]

They're out of NY. For a while, I was able to buy it at Walmart, but they don't seem to carry it anymore. I'll probably have to order it online now. I don't understand why everyone thinks sugar is indispensable in mayonnaise. The original recipe never had a speck of it.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

I think you meant to type "always"?
You are 100% correct!

 

[Okiepan]

Try to give up your modern conveniences, smart phones , electricity, vehicles, fast or processed food and all the creature comforts we have now , go back to walking or riding a horse or mule , keep a journal then after 30 days tell us about it , would be a neat project if it was feasible, who knows one day we might try it

 

[tortoise]

Day 1 - One SS meal

I feel like I need a whole week to prep one meal. 🤣

• I have home-grown, home-butchered lamb roast.
• A jar of homemade BBQ sauce didnt seal, so I need to use it up. I didnt grow any of the ingredients in the BBQ sauce, but I started from fresh tomatoes.
• I can bake bread. I can convert my recipe to use honey or maple syrup (which I can buy local) instead of granulated sugar from the grocery store.
• I have spring mix that needs to get eaten. I didnt grow it. I can start a tray of baby greens today though!

We didn't have a proper supper. DH had started a soup pot with a leftover lamb roast. I gave kids broth with celery and meat floaters for supper and they both declared it good. I strained out the meat (destined for BBQ sauce for sandwiches for lunch tomorrow), added veggies and a little ACV and am making a batch of bone broth. My family tends toward weak connective tissue so bone broth is essential for us.

I baked the bread and used maple syrup instead of sugar. It didn't have an "off" flavor, but it was slow to rise. Maybe more maple syrup next time?

I got seeds and soil out, but haven't gotten greens planted yet.

It was a fun day. I learned some new things, am inspired for some new SS projects.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

I do use a stick blender and I know it's supposed to be easy but it's usually not. However, the last batch I made actually thickened up - but it didn't taste so good. Dh won't eat anything but Hellman's so I need to make it taste really similar.

 

[flowerbug]

paraphrasing a song and adapting to bread making... "I knead you, like the rain kneads the flowers, you know I knead you..." sorry, it just popped in my head and so i had to share.

my kitchen skill i had to learn here was patience and staying out of the kitchen when Mom is cooking. most of the time we're just not that compatible and a lot of it is because when she goes left so do i and we're in each other's way. what i do to help out is open things up she can't and i also do clean-up when she's done.

she has her system down for making cookies in large batches so it is also good for me to stay away during those times because if i'm there she might forget what step she's on.

we hardly ever roll anything out here so i've not ever heard of spacers before. interesting idea. oiled dowels should work for that. hmm...

 

[flowerbug]

If you find a recipe that tastes like Hellmans/Best Foods let us know. I've never found a substitute. I don't particularly like mayo, but it's needed for some things. Most people I know will only eat that brand.

the Wallys World store brand works ok for making things like potato salad or where you won't be tasting the mayo just by itself. it comes in a pretty big jar too so you can save a few $ by using that instead of the more expensive brands.

we usually have at least three different jars of mayo like things in the fridge (Hellmanns, Miracle Whip and the store brand). for me some things just are not right if they don't have MW on them.