Rachael Eliker's Blog, page 25

Slow Cooker Cilantro Lime Chicken

I have a goal of making a new meal we've never had before at least once a month in 2019. For January, I decided to try slow cooker cilantro lime chicken and it was a hit! Not only was it SUPER simple (I put it in the crockpot in less than five minutes--even with frozen chicken) at lunchtime, and it was ready by dinner. It can be served over rice, as a burrito, on top of nachos, and fully dressed, it's a whole meal all in one. Kind of reminds me of our sweet pork and cilantro salad, except thi...

A Long Weekend

Weekends are incredibly precious, extremely busy times for our family. Usually, they're filled with church, home improvement projects, cleaning (always cleaning...), and the day to day chores of running a farm. It's not all misery and woe though--we do find a lot of time to relax and have fun together and if we're really lucky, we might even take a weekend trip to explore somewhere new. So, when we had a long weekend, stuck at home from and ice and snowstorm, what did we do?
I love Claire...

One Bad Day

Parton came to us as an adorable, unnamed little Jersey calf when we bought Dolly.  Though he's always been enjoyable to have around (usually...sometimes even a cute cow can be annoying), on a farm, everyone has to pull their weight. That meant for Parton, eventually he'd be butchered for beef to feed our family, the cats, and Raven. It's not something a lot of people want to think about, especially when we get to know each of our animals so intimately, but death it is a fact of lif...

Easy Homemade Coleslaw

Easily one of my favorite side dishes is coleslaw. I don't know what it is about it--the crunchy veggies, the slightly sweet, tangy sauce to balance out some delicious pulled pork or marinated grilled chicken and homemade baked beans or what--but I like it. Here's a SUPER easy recipe that goes together quickly and marinates in the fridge overnight and is ready for dinner the next day (or in as few as a couple of hours in a pinch), so all you have to do is pull it out and enjoy!

Ingredient...

One Dozen

Twelve years ago, Jack and I were married on a blustery winter day in Nebraska. It was the start of our family and is an event I think about often.
If Jack looks freakishly thin, that's because he was, heehee.After being sealed for this life and the life to come (meaning we're married forever...sorry Jack. You're stuck with me), we had a small reception at night, which challenged even the best Nebraska driver to arrive without sliding off the road. We celebrated with friends and family and sta...

Perfect Snow

Growing up in Nebraska, there always seemed to be plenty of snow days, particularly the kind that were good for sledding, snowball fights, and building snowmen (or snowcats, if you're Claire). Not that I don't appreciate the more mild Indiana winters (although the gray skies...ugh), I have come to truly appreciate the perfect snow day in Indiana. Luckily for us, this time, it landed on an otherwise mostly unoccupied Saturday.
Henry loves the snow!Our first trip outside, we...

Half of the Story

The Twin Cousins all running amok in the church gym.Christmas during our annual pilgrimage back to Nebraska is only ever half of the story. True, it is the focus, the pinnacle, the best part of the trip but we've been able to spend a few extra days there, visiting family, seeing old friends, and having a break from the neverending chores on a farm. Jack brought his virtual reality to share and it's just as hilarious watching people play it as it is to actually be the player.
Stay out of E...

The Rehomesteaders 2019 Goals

There are far, far better things ahead than any we leave behind. ~C.S. LewisOne of my favorite things about the transition from one year to the next is the feeling of a fresh start, which makes it the perfect time to set new goals and review past ones. We've been setting goals for several years, and it's been fun to see what we've already accomplished--some of them have been unexpectedly accomplished as opportunities have arisen, and some may be lifetime goals that take time and means to achi...

Farm Dog, City Dog

It's been nearly five years since Raven joined our family but it seems like she's been around all along. She really is a great dog, and enjoys being in the thick of things, especially if it involves being outside, around the kids, or if there's a ball for her to chase.
Photo bomber.One of the best qualities she has is that she is an absolute gem around the kids. While we teach all the children to be gentle with the animals, sometimes babies and toddlers just don't grasp the concept. Even...

And to All a Good Night!

Happiest holidays from The Rehomesteaders! It has been a whirlwind week of long hours of travel, celebrations, delectable food, family, and loads of new memories.
Once we got settled in Nebraska, we were quickly reunited with the twin cousins, visited the grandparents, and prepared for Christmas (meaning we wrapped a bunch of presents we had shipped here so we didn't have to travel with them in the trunk).
We made all the traditional sweet treats, and have been munching on them ever since,...