Rachael Eliker's Blog, page 24

Chocolate Party Smorgasbord

Before everyone dug in at our chocolate party smorgasbord.Evelyn has proudly declared that of all days, certainly Valentine's Day would rank up there as one of (if not THE) happiest day of the year. I know I'm uber spoiled when it comes to the amount of love we get showered with daily (even if it is between the bickering, whining, crying, backtalking, etc) but I can see a marked difference in my kids' lavish attention on Valentine's Day.
Homemade headband hair accessory.I woke up to a flurry o...

Egg, Ham & Cheese Cups

The hens have really started picking up their regular laying schedule after their autumn molt and a break for winter, which means I sometimes have to find new ways to use them so we aren't up to our eyeballs in eggs. This recipe was really great because a) it was easy, b) it was quick, c) I had everything on hand, and d) EVERYBODY liked it. They're fast enough for a breakfast or brunch but we had them for dinner because, why not?

Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons flour
1 cup milk
3/4...

Creamy One Pot Turkey and Rice

We had soooo much turkey at Thanksgiving that we had to freeze a good portion of what was leftover. As much as we love turkey, mashed potatoes, and gravy, there's only so much of it we can eat so soon after the holiday. Still, not wanting anything to go to waste, we gave this recipe a try and were not disappointed! Even if you don't have leftover turkey, you can substitute leftover rotisserie chicken just as easily. The best part? It's ready in 30 minutes!

Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons butter...

Break in Winter

Chalk on the deck: a favorite past time.Wouldn't you know, the day we spent cutting and chopping wood in preparation for more cold weather, we had a break in winter and have enjoyed spring-like weather for the last few days? No complaints here! We've been soaking it all in, and spending every minute we can outside.
Parton made some delicious sirloins.By Sunday night, we were grilling out...comfortably, at least. We really don't stop grilling because it's cold and snowing but it's nice to be ab...

Pork Chop Marinade

Though we have a freezer full of beef from Parton, we still like to eat a variety of meat (and some meals, we do go meatless to change things up). In particular, yummy grilled meat with a few simple sides is a quick, easy dinner...just a few minutes to assemble and a few minutes to grill after its marinated. This pork chop marinade is a winner!

Ingredients:

4 to 6 pork chops
1/8 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup ketchup
1/8 cup mustard
1 Tablespoon brown sugar or honey
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1...

Lazy Grasshopper

When your sled is being used for work, you have to come up with other ways to slide down the hill. Remember the parable of the ant and the grasshopper? All summer long, I feel like the ant, working hard and preparing for winter. By the time the cold weather rolls around--especially around February where I'm absolutely over the cold, snow, and dark--it seems like I was a lazy grasshopper who didn't do quite enough to make it through the summer. Sigh. At least some things I can m...

Homemade Yogurt (Instant Pot)

While we're milking Dolly, we have milk on hand to experiment with all kinds of dairy recipes, from cheese to butter to ice cream. One of my goals was to learn how to make yogurt. It's not quite as straightforward as say, making butter, but it is still simple, especially with the help of an instant pot. Every time I've tried it, I've had success. It's delicious and cost-effective, and surprisingly easy once I got a hang of it.

Ingredients:

1/2 gallon milk (we use raw, whole milk but storebought...

A Wonderful Start

Time and how fast it can go has always been incredible to me. I wake up, and the next thing I know, it's time for bed. The second I give birth, my baby is already walking, talking (and sometimes sassing...), and growing more and more independent with every blink. With 2019 already in full swing, I've already been reminiscing about 2018. It wasn't all fantastic--we had a battle with ant invasions, fleas, pinworms, a case of bursitis, stitches, and other unexpected bumps in the road (I'll let y...

Artisan Sourdough Bread

One of our 2019 goals is to make ten different types of bread. Since Jack, Claire, and Kate are such fans of sourdough, we decided we'd give that a try first. After making our own sourdough starter (something we're still learning to cultivate), we used it to make a fairly straightforward artisan bread that, once mixed and kneaded, requires little attention while it rises. It's baked in a cast iron skillet, which gives it a nice crunchy outside, and chewy inside. Served with a hunk of cheese o...

Farm Kids in the City

Snow angels!Though I grew up smack dab in the middle of a large city, there is no mistaking that my kids are farm kids. They're milkmaids and cow whisperers, horse trainers, and gardeners. That means, a lot of times when they're looking for fun, they find something around the farm to keep themselves amused. Yesterday, it was sliding around on the frozen pond:
Having a slippery ice race!
Once in a while though, it's fun to take the kids into town. After the kids did a (mostly) stellar job cleani...