Shortbread is a traditional cookie from Scotland using the most simple of ingredients for a lovely, buttery cookie. Making shortbread is a somewhat meditative practice for me, as it brings my attention to the Scottish branch of my family.

I used to make shortbread with sprouted spelt because I’m allergic to modern wheat. However, I need to eat a low-glycemic diet to manage my PCOS (Polycycstic Ovarian Syndrome). Spelt still has too many carbs for me to eat with any frequency. I found a grain-free version of shortbread plus a salted caramel topping at the Nourished Kitchen blog. I didn’t bother with the caramel, as I have to keep those carbs down. Honestly, it isn’t necessary for this shortbread which has a delicate, natural sweetness.

Almond flour is full of protein, fiber, Vitamin E, and magnesium. Coconut flour is jam packed with fiber, protein, and gives a great texture. Real butter from grass fed cows provides a multitude of health benefits, including nutrients to prevent thyroid and adrenal problem, as well as cancer. For a more in depth look at the benefits of adding real butter from grass fed cows, check out this article from Body Ecology. With only a 1/4 cup of honey, this is a protein and fiber rich treat, suitable for any low-glycemic, wheat-free, or gluten-free diet.

Here’s how I made the shortbread:

Ingredients

• 1 and 3/4 cups almond flour, sifted  (Almond Meal/Flour- Buy it here)

• 1/4 cup coconut flour, sifted (Organic Coconut Flour- Buy it here)

• 1 stick very cold, unsalted butter, grass-fed/pastured*
• 1/4 cup local, raw honey**
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

*Put a stick of butter in the freezer for a few hours to get really good and cold. Also, many grocery stores now carry their own store brand pastured butter, as well as Kerry Gold, which is imported from Ireland. Otherwise, check with a local dairy to find good butter, or make your own from good, local cream.

** The flavor of real, raw, local honey will change throughout the season. Play with the different flavors, and enjoy the variations!

Equipment

• mesh strainer/sifter
• large mixing bowl
• medium mixing boal
• box grater
• measuring cups
• rubber/silicone spatula
• ceramic shortbread pan (Shortbread Pan: Buy it here)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Sift the almond flour into the medium mixing bowl. There will be a little extra flour in the bowl. Pour the excess back into the almond flour bag (or into a canister if that’s how you store your flour). Do the same with the coconut flour. Add the salt to the flour in the medium bowl and sift all of it into the large mixing bowl. Do not skip the sifting. If you do, you run the risk of having a very dry, powdery shortbread. Shortbread should be a little crumbly. It should not be powdery. Sifting prevents this problem.

Take your stick of butter out of the freezer, and being careful not to cut your fingers, grate the butter using a box grater. Put to one side while you add the honey. You will be left with an “end” of the stick of butter that you cannot grate without cutting your fingers. Take that end, and grease a 1/4 cup measuring cup. This will help prevent the honey sticking to it. Fill the measuring cup with honey, and using the rubber or silicone spatula, add the honey to the sifted dry ingredients. Add the grated butter, which should still be very cold, and add the teaspoon of vanilla.

Mix with your fingertips. Work the mixture with your fingers thoroughly until it is all incorporated and crumbly. It will look somewhat like scrambled eggs. Try to get mostly butter on your hands first. It will keep the honey from sticking to you.

Here’s a photo of what my shortbread pan looks like. It has a Tudor rose, Scottish thistle, Celtic knot, and a Welsh dragon. This pan makes eight shortbread wedges. I didn’t grease the pan, as there is an entire stick of butter in the shortbread. When I took the shortbread out, the pan didn’t need more than a rinse in hot water.

Press mixture into the ceramic shortbread pan. Try to make it as even as possible. With a fork, prick holes all over the back of the shortbread.

Bake at 325 degrees for 25-30 minutes, or until the edges are brown. Move to a rack to cool down for about 10-15 minutes.

Shortbread out of the oven and cooling on a rack.

While still warm, use a butter knife to push the shortcake away from the sides of the pan. (I really didn’t need to do this, but it’s a good idea just in case it sticks.) Turn it out onto a cutting board. It should just come right out. If it sticks at all, just give a tap on the back of the pan. While still warm, use a long knife and cut along the lines to create the shortbread wedges.

Shortbread, out of the pan, ready to cut into wedges.

Something this delicious and special deserves a special plate. I love handmade items, and found a lovely Etsy shop, Saxon Design Studio. I have a few items from this shop, and I’ve been very happy. This plate has a griffin in the center of it.

My griffin plate from Saxon Designs Studio.

I’d love to hear what you think about this grain-free alternative to traditional shortbread.  Please leave a comment below!

Slow Cooker Pork Cacciatore with Rice Pasta Spirals

This yummy dinner married made-from-scratch with convenience. It used up a large amount of left over pork roast, mushrooms that I needed to use, and a few jars of tomatoes that I had in the pantry. It was made in the crockpot, so it freed me up to go do other things while it cooked away. Plus, it gave us left overs for freezer storage. There is just no downside to this meal.

Ingredients

• Left over pork roast, approximately 4lbs chopped
• Stewed tomatoes, 2 pint jars*
• Crushed tomatoes, 1 quart jar*
• Mushrooms, chopped, two cups

*I had jars of homegrown heirloom tomatoes I had previously processed, so these sizes were convenient for me. If you have store-bought canned tomatoes, use a similar amount of stewed and crushed tomatoes. This is a forgiving recipe and you can play with the amounts.

Equipment

• Slow cooker, could be a crockpot, a solar oven, or even a cooler spot on a wood stove. (I used a crockpot because that’s what is on hand at this location.)
• A food chopper or food processor

Instructions

Turn crockpot to high, and add chopped pork, stewed tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, and mushrooms. Let cook with the lid slightly open to allow liquids to escape (I used a bamboo spoon for this). Cook for 2 hours, or until mushrooms are soft, stirring occasionally. Serving suggestions: Serve over pasta, rice, or other grain of choice. Top with grated cheese (romano is my preference).

I had the leftovers from a 9-pound pork roast in the fridge that needed to be used. There was probably about 4 pounds of pork left over from the original meal. I used my non-electric food chopper to break this cold pork down quickly. Granted, it wasn’t as quick as an electric food processor, but since I prefer the non-electric appliances whenever possible, this serves my needs well.

Hand-powered food chopper/processor

The chopped pork went into the crockpot with two pints of stewed tomatoes and a quart of crushed tomatoes from my pantry. While that was heating up, I chopped up some mushrooms and added about 2 cups of chopped mushrooms to the crockpot. I gave it a stir and walked away.

Stirring in the last bit of pork

When all was said and done, I had enough cacciatore to serve with two pounds of rice spiral pasta, and fill a full quart freezer storage bag. This will make a very easy lunch some afternoon. You could cut the recipe in half if you have less left over meat, or you could even make the recipe as is, and freeze the entire thing (minus the pasta or whatever else you’re serving it with). Of course, this recipe would work with just about any left over meat, like chicken, turkey, or even some tough cut of beef that you don’t have any idea what to do with it. I, however, want to try it next time with rabbit meat.

Here it is, all done and delicious!

Let me know what you think! Please submit comments below. (Please note: Comments are set “subject to approval” to prevent spam making it through to the blog.)

Omelette Muffins with Sausage, Onion, and Bell Pepper

I’ve learned to be  frugal with my money. Now, I’m learning to be frugal with my time. Omlette muffins are a great make-ahead meal that makes breakfast quick and easy. They are a great way to use up left over meats and veggies. Plus, these are appropriate for those on a low-glycemic diet who need low-carb foods, as well as being Paleo and Primal Diet friendly. Store in the freezer and pop in the toaster. What could be simpler?

Ingredients:

• 9 eggs (Find local eggs here.)
• 1 cup filling: meat & veggie mixture- your choice, good use for leftovers
• 1/2 cup to 1 cup shredded cheese
• Salt & pepper to taste
• Olive oil or butter (to grease the muffin pan)

Equipment:

• A stoneware muffin pan, or your choice of muffin pan (I use this here.)
• A paper towel, wax paper, a spritzer, or even your fingers to grease the muffin pan

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350* and grease your muffin pan. I use a hand-pumped spritzer and olive oil to coat the inside surfaces of my muffin pan. You could always use butter instead.

Prepare your meat and veggie preferences. In my muffins, I cooked up some left over loose sausage, bell peppers, and onions. Move whatever fillings you are using and mix together in a bowl. Mix in the shredded cheese. I used cheddar, but any shredded cheese you have on hand is  fine. Set bowl aside. Crack open eight eggs into a separate bowl, whisk with a fork, and add salt and pepper to taste. (I didn’t use either, as the sausage I was using had plenty of seasoning.)

Pour the whisked eggs and stir. Pour the egg and filling mixture into the muffin pan. Bake for 15-25 minutes, depending on how big your muffins are. A pan with larger muffins will cook slower than a pan with smaller muffins. Test with a knife in the center of one of the muffins to see if it is done. If they need a few more minutes, put them back in the oven. They are ready when the tops are solid, and a knife comes out clean. Let them cool off, and enjoy.

Omelette Muffins in Stoneware Muffin Pan

Take your left over muffins, and put them in labeled freezer bags and squeeze as much air out of them as possible. These omelette muffins are easy to make and take only a little time to cook. Spend a little time making a large batch of these, pop them in the freezer and take out what you need for the week.

The blog is getting a whole new look, and I’m working my way through learning all kinds of techie stuff.  It’s more like home renovation than housekeeping, but it’s all worth it!

All the colors, photos, features, updated categories, blogroll, etc., will all be tweeked and ready ASAP!

We had these pork chops last night. You won’t believe how easy they were to make, and they taste delicious! I got the idea from a facebook group I’m in, and made a couple of simple changes based on what I had in my kitchen. The original recipe had 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons chopped onion.  I used 1/4 cup honey, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, and 1/4 of an onion, chopped. I could also see using leeks, scallions, or shallots.

Ingredients

• 4 pork chops (I had chops on the bone)
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/4 cup ketchup (homemade ketchup is best, or but organic ketchup is available without high fructose corn syrup)
• 1/4 onion, chopped
• 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar

To Prepare

Mix the honey, ketchup, vinegar, and onion together until the honey is fully incorporated throughout.

Seer the pork chops on both sides (high heat for about 1-2 minutes each side- I used pastured bacon fat in a cast iron pan)

Transfer the pork chops to a crock pot and cover with the honey/ketchup mixture. It doesn’t look like enough sauce, but it will become thinner and mix with the pork juices.  Cook on low for 4-6 hours, occasionally moving the chops around so they all get coated with the sauce.

We served it with mashed potatoes. It really should have had something green on the plate too, but I was running out of time. Some nice swiss chard sauteed in butter an garlic would go well, as would skipping the mashed potatoes and doing a bunch of roasted root veggies.

This recipe would be just as easy to do with chicken. I also saved the bones and put them in the freezer with my other bones to make stock. I always save the bones! 

If you are short on time, just put this in earlier in the crockpot earlier in the day, and forget about it while you get other chores done- or just want some time to play with the kids. Enjoy!

Dear Homesteading Mom fans,

We have reached another new year, and may it find you and your families well. I’ve spent some time away from blogging to acknowledge the holiday season, look back on the year, and chart a course going ahead into 2012. Normally, I enjoy this time to process and get all fired up over goal setting. This year, however, I was uncharacteristically ambivalent.

I had zero interest (initially) in my yearly ritual of introspection. My husband and I both had a hard time just getting into the holiday spirit. The realization came on slowly, but we ultimately had to acknowledge what was bothering us:

We want to live at our rural homestead full time.

We appreciate our city homestead, but we are limited in what we are permitted to do here. Dividing our time between locations because our income sources are based in MA has cut into progress getting the homestead in Maine established. Yet, without an income, we can’t afford to continue to develop it. We’ve been in limbo, and it needs to be brought to a conclusion sooner rather than later!

This admission cleared the creative block, and ideas for 2012 began flowing like a torrent. This year’s #1 goal is to create a source of income that is not dependent on any specific location so we can move as soon as possible.

I worked out a business plan for an internet-based project that will naturally lead into my eventual midwifery practice in Maine. We’re projecting a year for that venture to become profitable enough to afford us the freedom to move. A year from now would be winter, and moving to Maine in the winter may not be the best plan, so realistically, we’re looking at Spring 2013. 

That means I have a lot more skills to learn in a much shorter period of time. On the flip side, I will also have a whole lot more content to blog about! Be on the lookout for some changes in both appearance, as well as some additional features for Homesteading Mom. There are just some things that might be better handled through the occasional podcast or vlog, and those will be incorporated into this site’s offerings.

I really appreciate the fact that you all take the time to read the Homesteading Mom blog. And I’m grateful to have the opportunity to bring you all a lot more content and a better experience while you’re visiting the site.

I’ve been advocating for a long time that we would all benefit by being more mindful of our spending habits. Often, this is in regard to being more frugal and freeing up funds in a rough economy. But, this post will focus on a different reason why being mindful of our spending habits is important. Every time we spend our money, we are voting with our dollars.

Contrary to popular belief, neither of the two major political parties alone are to blame for the rough state of our economy. They are both bought and owned by corporate and industry interests. Get rid of the illusion that voting one party out and the other party in will fix anything. Both parties are firmly owned by corporations, and all players are beholden to the bankers, specifically the privately-owned Federal Reserve.

Now, I could go on about what the government, corporate and industry interests, and the bankers have done, about the bailout scams and the failed stimulus. However, that information is already all over the Internet. I’m more interested in answering this question: how do we fix it?

And yes, WE need to fix it. Government isn’t going to fix it. They helped cause it! They have enabled the corporations and bankers to do what they have done through enacting regulations that benefit corporations and banks. We need to stop looking to government for a solution, because each time we do, all we get is new regulations that benefit corporations and banks.

Make your vote count- at the register!

I believe a large part of the solution lies in our spending habits.  This is probably no where more true than in our food and personal care choices. A lot of people think they are being responsible shoppers, gravitating towards “natural” and “organic” brands, and making an effort to seek out items made here in the USA. We try to avoid High Fructose Corn Syrup and strange additives that would require a degree in Chemistry to understand. We try to avoid excess packaging and spend our money with responsible companies.

Well, here’s some bad news. Odds are, many of the brands that have made their way into our homes under the guise of being the responsible choice have been bought out by large corporations. Check out this article from Organic Consumers. Brands like Tom’s of Maine, Burt’s Bees, and Kashi have all sold out to corporate giants like Clorox and Colgate-Palmolive. Rather than compete with these brands, corporations just bought them out. So, if you had any designs on not supporting the Corporatocracy by voting with your dollars, you might want to double check which brands your using and who owns their company.

But do we have no alternatives? Of course we do!

1. Produce more yourself
2. Source food direct from local farms
3. Shop your local craft and artisan shops
4. Do your banking locally
5. Pay in cash

Yes, you can produce a lot of your own food and personal care products at home. If you knit, crochet, weave, spin, or sew, you can even produce some of your own clothing. You absolutely can make your own sugar and salt scrubs, dry shampoos, jams & jellies, baked goods, and so on. If you can keep chickens or goats (or even a small cow), you can produce your own eggs, milk, and cheese. You can eliminate a lot of costs associated with living by learning to cook, do, make, repair things yourself.  If you have access to wood and a wood stove, you can provide your own heat and cooking fuel. Hmm…. sounds a lot like typical homesteading skills to me!

If you cannot produce something yourself, a very common problem in cities and suburbs, locate your local farmers. It’s November right now, and up here in the Northeast, there isn’t much growing. But, you can start making your contacts for next year, locating a CSA farm, farmstand, and farmers’ markets. You can make inquiries as to who sells a half a cow, a half a pig, or perhaps a whole lamb. You can locate your local orchards ahead of time for next year. (If you have the space for a garden, pick up some gardening books and start planning your own backyard food source.)

Shopping your local crafts persons and artisans… yes, I can already hear it, that will cost more. Yes, it most likely will. However, if you have been frugal in other areas of your life, you should be able to afford to put some money back into your community, instead of sending it over to China via some Big Box store for some item that will probably break in 6 months anyway.

You can take a significant amount of money out of this corrupt system by choosing to spend your money locally, or even by not spending it at all. Yes, that means a lot of minimum-wage retail jobs would be lost, but that really doesn’t mean a hill of beans. By supporting locals crafts people and artisans, you are supporting businesses with jobs that actually make something. Which would you rather support- a job where something is manufactured here in this country, or a mind-numbing job where someone rings all your cheap imports through the register? (Yes, I’ve done that job, and it is pointless and mind-numbing.)

Finding a small, local bank can be challenging, but most places have credit unions that have more obligations to their membership. In one of the OWS protests, a bunch of people mobbed a CitiBank in order to all close out their accounts. Really, that’s unnecessary. If you feel the bank you currently do business with doesn’t represent your values, just close your account. You do not need a bunch of your friends to go with you to do it with you and make a big show of it.

And finally, please pay with cash. Every time you used a debit card (or even worse, a credit card), you are supporting the very banks that took our money in the bailouts. The government doesn’t produce any of it’s own money. Government money is TAX money that you and I pay. It’s OUR money that bailed out the banks. We really do not need to assist them any more through transaction fees each time we want to make a purchase. If you are buying from a local merchant, wouldn’t you already want that small business to be able to keep as much of the profits as possible? If you use your debit or credit card, you’re obligating some of your purchase price to be paid to the banks.

You absolutely can vote with your dollars. It may be the most important form of voting we have. I urge you to examine your spending habits. Are in line with your values? Do your spending habits support freedom, a strong local economy, and the environment?  If not, give it some thought over this holiday shopping season. To help you out, over the next couple of months, I’ll be posting a lot of DIY projects to help you along the way.

Yes, it’s that time of year again, where people join together and rush the isles of stores. There’s an added bonus to this year’s shopping insanity: customers pepper spraying other customers to get video game systems! Sounds like a whole lot of “fun” that I am thrilled to miss out on.

For the past 3 years, we have opted to make our own gifts, and limit purchased gifts to those that are in line with our values. We have given honey, beeswax candles, baked goods, and knitted items I’ve made. And yes, even the children and teenagers in our family and extended family have enjoyed the handmade and homegrown touch.

One challenge though- this was not a productive year for knitting. My toddler, as cute with all those golden ringlets as she is, is totally fascinated with my knitting needles. She swats at them while I work, and invariably finds a way to get into my knitting bag and rip rows and rows of work right off the needles.

The solution this year will be kitchen-prepped. I’m thinking:

• brandy-soaked fruits like prunes, raisins, and dehydrated apricots.
• Chocolate bark in festive cookie tins.
• Herbal remedies like my Elderberry Syrup and some homemade lozenges.
• And of course, honey and beeswax candles.

Now, there’s still time to knit a few things, and I’m planning on knitting up some toy animals and holiday decorations, both are quick projects. But, with the time constraints of watching two kids, and all the many trips up to Maine to build the cabin (awesome pictures posted yesterday), some of the nicer knitted items are getting tabled for birthday gifts throughout the year.

Some of you are thinking, “That’s all well and good for the adults, but what about the kids?” First, consider the lessons you’re teaching. Do your kids really need you to spend large amounts of money on video games and other crap they won’t care about in a month? If you really need to buy that stuff, try to buy it used. It saves money, but it also keeps money flowing here in the US. Most electronic devices and entertainment are manufactured elsewhere. When you buy a new item, the money ultimately leaves the country. When you buy a used item, it stays right here, in the USA. Do you really think the Chinese deserve more of your money? I didn’t think so.

Now, I could go on about how many older kids are equally, if not more impressed by a hand-knitted blanket. Many teens are fascinated by the stitching and can watch a knitter for hours. The end result means something to them. I still have the afghan my grandma crocheted for me when I was a kid. Could I even remember what else I got for the holidays that year? Nope. But, I still have the afghan. This year, however, I didn’t have a lot of time to knit. So, I’m relying heavily on my kitchen and herbal crafts to make up the difference.

The holidays happen to fall during cold and flu season. I know exactly to whom to give a nice helping of my Elderberry Syrup and homemade throat lozenges. It’s great when medicine tastes good! This is an easy project since I can make several batches now, pop them in the freezer, and then put them in a pretty basket or bag to give them (with instructions to store the syrup in the freezer until needed.

For a few others who are accustomed to a certain amount of elegance, some brandy-soaked fruits, like prunes, raisins, and apricots. This will be lovely dessert topping, especially over ice cream!

We will still give honey and beeswax candles. Those are always a big hit, and a natural choice for a beekeeper to give.

Now, for those who have a sweet tooth, I think the perfect, impressive-to-look-at, simple treat has to be Chocolate Bark. Easy peasy to make, and broken into a festive cookie tin, this will be a sure winner. Seriously, who doesn’t love chocolate?

I’m still looking at knitting a few small, quick projects, like some toy animals and ornaments.

So that’s the run down for our DIY, handmade holiday plans for 2011. Do you have any favorite gifts to make for the holidays? I’d love to hear about them! Please post in the comments your favorite DIY Yuletide gift.

We spent the better part of the last two weeks in our little home, including Thanksgiving. We got a lot of little interior odds and ends done, with plenty more left to do. Here are a few images that tell the story much better than I ever could.

Still left to do and projects we’re looking to tackle this spring and summer are having a well dug, adding a gravel driveway, establishing our orchards, finishing the second floor and at least one of the additions. (I’m pushing for the bathroom!)

Rich Mushroom and Veggie Stew

It’s autumn and the garden is winding down. Pretty soon, it will be limited to some cold-hardy greens in cold frames. I had a bunch of odds and ends to use up, both from the garden and in the refrigerator, and soup is a great way to use up veggies! I made three different soups, filled them into glass mason jars, and put them in the refrigerator for the week. One of them was a delicious, thick and rich stew with mushrooms and assorted veggies. This is one of those things that you can add something, take something away, switch ingredients, use whatever you have on hand- and it’s going to be just delicious. Please use all ingredients and amounts as suggestions, go clean out your fridge and garden, and see what you come up with!

Ingredients

• Butter, 2 tablespoons
• Leek, 3 medium stalks, chopped and rinsed (2 large stalks or 1 small onion or equivalent shallots would also work- chop and save the leek leaves for vegetable broth)
• Zucchini, 1 large, peeled, seeded, and chopped (a few of the zucchini in my garden grew enormous before I even knew they were ready to pick, 2-3 zucchini from the grocery store would be approximately what I used- save the seeds to toast like pumpkin seeds)
• Bell peppers, 3-4 chopped
• Mushrooms, one 16-ounce package (I had a package of sliced button mushrooms that needed to be used up, but other types of mushrooms would add more flavor)
• Stewed tomatoes (I used half of a pint jar I previously canned, but a small can from the store should work fine)
• Parsley, 1 large bunch, chopped
• Salt & Pepper to taste

Directions

• In a dutch oven, add the butter, and turn the heat to medium.
• Add leeks (or chopped onion or chopped shallots) and bell pepper, and cook until the peppers are soft.
• Add mushrooms and cook until they soften.
• Add chopped zucchini, stewed tomatoes, and chopped parsley.
• Let cook until the zucchini is tender (this will depend on how big your zucchini chunks are, I left mine big).
• Turn the heat off, and puree half of the stew. Add it back to the pot and stir to even out the texture throughout the stew.
• Taste, and season with salt and pepper (or whatever else you’d like) to your liking. Wait until this point to add any salt or pepper especially if using canned stewed tomatoes which often have their own herbs and seasonings added.

The stew was delicious, but next time I make it, I think it would benefit from a few carrots. My batch filled one quart and one pint canning jars (about 6 cups), with a little left over for a small serving for the cook to enjoy. The addition of carrots and possibly some other roasted veggie would easily have made two quarts (8 cups)

Serving Suggestions

• Add a dollop of sour cream or yogurt per bowl just prior to serving.
• Serve over rice, quinoa, or potatoes (roasted or boiled- though roasted with butter, rosemary, and thyme sounds delicious to me right about now- I guess it’s time to go roast some potatoes!)
• Hollow out a small round squash, pumpkin, or bread boule, and pour the stew inside the hollow. If using a squash or pumpkin, save the seeds to toast in the oven.