More Food!

Yes! More food and recipes to share! It's cooled off a bit so I can turn on the oven without making the kitchen over 85 degrees! And being pregnant, I suddenly have a lot more patience to actually go through with making things cause I soooo look forward to the end result!

Salsa

2-99 oz. cans whole, peeled tomatoes

1-16 oz. can tomato sauce

8 medium onions

12-20 jalapenos

1/2 C. sugar

4 oz. cider vinegar

4 tsp. canning salt

Dice and combine all ingredients. Bring to a boil and cook for 30 minutes. Put in jars. Makes about 2 gallons.

I used this as a base recipe and changed a few things. I used a grocery bag of tomatoes (how much that is, I don't know.. 5-6 lbs?) no tomato sauce, and 6 jalepenos with seeds. I added 3 Tbsp. cilantro, 2 tsp. lime juice, and 1 Tbsp garlic. I pretty much just threw in there what sounded good, and taste tested as I went.

Pumpkin Puree!!

I used the boil method and really like how it turned out. I used these 3 smaller pumpkins and it made a one quart jar of puree. I did learn though, that you have to freeze puree or keep it in the fridge for 2-3 days, just canning it supposedly doesn't keep it like it should.

Pumpkin Wheat Honey Muffins

These were made immediately after the puree, they sounded so good! (minus the raisins, cause I can't stand them) They didn't taste to 'healthy' either, I was kinda nervous for that. I will be making these again once this batch is gone... which may be sooner than later.

Other than food, there has been a lot on my mind lately. I don't know why, but suddenly I feel like the baby is coming tomorrow and not in 14 weeks. There's so much I have to get done! We haven't really touched the nursery. There is only a dresser/changer in there and 2 massive deer heads, which of course the heads are not staying in there. They are just in there to get out of the living room.... and will hopefully move to the office soon. Casey can't wait for bow season, so he can get another monster buck on the wall. Which is fine I guess, I just don't want to be greeted by them when I walk in the front door, or have them hanging over our poor babies crib. Oh no no!

Anyways... We did recently get a crib for the nursery from Grandma Kathy! We've had it for a couple days. I honestly almost cried when I wanted to put it together immediately and Casey said no, cause it was quarter after 8 at night, we had just got home and hadn't eaten yet. (he was right and being rational) It was still in the box until this morning... I am forcing myself to wait until Casey's day off tomorrow to put it up WITH him. I wouldn't be able to get all the bolts and screws as tight as he would ... at least that's what I'm telling myself so I don't do it today. So in the next while I will have the giant deer heads moved out of there and the crib up! Would love to share pictures of everything as it gets done!!!

What's Been Cookin...

Something great about moving out here on the farm is Grandpa's garden. He really beefed it up this year cause he knew Casey and I would be eating from it to. We have had parsnips, green onions, onions, beets, green beans, potatoes, tomatoes, sweet corn, peppers, peas, cucumber, and zucchini just to name a few. My freezer is overflowing!! Once that overflowed I asked Grandma McCausland to show me how to can. I had seen it done, but not really done it by myself. So now I've started canning on and off and I really enjoy it. It's not near as hard as I thought it would be. So I wanted to share what I've been making and plan to make with all this!

Sweet Zucchini Relish!

I made this recipe exactly as written and it is FABULOUS!!!

I didn't mention raspberries up there but they grow wild here and I made these muffins. They were very easy to make and very yummy.

Raspberry Buttermilk Muffins

Pumpkins are just starting to come out of the garden and I plan to make Pumpkin Pie Squares, and I'm planning on making pumpkin coffee bread which sounds amazing! So many fun recipes to bring in the Fall season! Maybe I'll try a soup with them to...

Last weekend I made Blackberry Cheescake!

Make your own graham cracker crust... it's not that hard!

Apples and pears are almost ready to! I am planning on making Apple Gouda Ladder Loaf. Made this last year and Casey looooooves this! I didn't have gouda cheese so I substituted that with vanilla yogurt, and was very happy with how it turned out! I also want to can (or freeze) apple pie filling, thinking about doing an apple pear crisp, and trying to find a recipe on canning pears.

Last weekend I made salsa... which was a combo of about 3 recipes and I had never made it before. I have a huge bag of tomatoes on my kitchen table again, so I'll be making more and try to remember what I did and write it on here. Sucks cause I really like how it turned out, so hopefully this next batch goes over well.

Corn Tip!!

When shaving corn off the cob, put the smaller end of the cob into the center of a bunt pan while shaving, and shaved corn will fall into the pan instead of all over the kitchen.

I am just starting out on making a lot of this, but I'm really liking it! And no I don't bake all these goodies at once. These are my favorites from the past year to six months. Freeze what goodies you bake, so you don't feel like you have to eat it before it goes bad! Bread, cookies, cupcakes, leftovers, everything!! Makes more sense to me.... :)

So happy baking and cooking especially as fall is coming and the holidays!

Baby Update :)

Baby McCausland

This is an ultrasound picture from our appointment around 2 1/2 weeks ago. It's the babies profile if you're trying to figure out what it is. I'm so proud! I loved being able to see Casey watch the baby on the monitor to. He's going to be such a good Dad! The ultrasound technician was so great, she made the appointment really fun. Baby measured really well, and weighed in 2 ounces above average. So he/she is eating well! And yes, that's right, we aren't finding out the sex of the baby. GASP! I personally find it soo exciting not knowing. To each their own in that area. Pregnancy isn't always the funnest thing, but it's so unexplainably great at the same time! Just thinking about all the things happening inside you, and what the baby is going to be like. Looking at your body in absolute shock every few days :) and running to show your husband, who yes is amazed, but he tells you 'YES there's your belly I see it every day, hasn't changed that much since yesterday.' haha. But I still think it's my job to run to him and ask him to stare at it all the time. I am enjoying pregnancy! All of it!

We have just over 3 months left until our due date, and I can't wait to meet this little one. Children are such a blessing, and life is so so precious. I love reading Psalm 139:13-16

"For you created my inmost being:

you knit me together in my mother's womb.

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

your works are wonderful,

I know that full well.

My frame was not hidden from you

when I was made in the secret place.

When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,

your eyes saw my unformed body.

All the days ordained for me

were written in your book

before one of them came to me."

How amazing is that?? Gives me so much to think about! Well I think that's a good note to end on for my thoughts today....

Papa & Mom Visit

Made this blog and haven't touched it!! Oh well...

Some awesome things have happened in the past few months! I'm going to have to make a few posts out of the highlights and get back into doing this blog.

My parents came to visit for 10 days, which was so exciting for me, it was so nice to see them! Got to show them all around the farm and the Illinois countryside! There is something just so comforting in having your mom in your kitchen talking and cooking with you, and sitting on the porch in the morning with everyone watching the day begin. And Papa.... well, he got to go hunting and fishing and do all sorts of 'man things' with Casey. He was having the time of his life!

They were off to do their 'man things' and didn't really want a picture.. but stopped for a second to indulge me. Notice of course their matching shirts! Good times had by all!

On other more recent random notes... Summer has been flying by! This pregnancy has been going so fast to! I cannot wait to meet our little baby! Aaaand! I have gotten a great job at a local hair salon, working first as a receptionist/assistant, then will eventually be doing hair there! Woo hoo!