Rachael Eliker's Blog, page 84

The Rehomesteaders' 2015 Goals

I feel like 2014 was pretty successful. There were some heartbreaks, but an overwhelming majority of the year was a wonderful adventure. Some of the goals set were thoroughly accomplished (I ran quite a few races!) while some weren't accomplished much or at all (hence my horse training goal). And while some goals are new, most are rollovers from last year because they weren't accomplished and a few will hopefully be met every year (like taking family portraits). I'm excited to see what 2015 w...

Merry Christmas to You

After Santa stopped by.So far, we've had a fantastic Christmas season. We've been able to spend it with family, have avoided getting terribly sick and have had all kinds of fun. Here are a few snapshots of our week:
Fun with Easy Cheese! Eliker family history. Presents! Santa's plate of treats. Making jewelry. Being silly. Curious babies. Cousins! Movie and lunch at Amigos. Flying fairies. Making treats together. Holding a lot of cute kids. Lots of laying around.
It has been a wonderful season reflecting o...

Easy Breakfast Casserole

We had this for our family Christmas Eve gathering and it was a hit. On top of being delicious, it's also incredibly fast to assemble (it took less time to put it together than it did to warm up the oven). So, it's perfect for family gatherings, holidays or brunch because you can have a home-cooked meal without having to slave over the stove for ours on end.

Ingredients:

24 oz frozen hash browns (about 8 cups)
16 oz ham, cubed
8 oz cheddar, shredded
12 eggs
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pep...

Cinnamon Candied Pecans

These candied pecans are delicious and pair well with anything from salads to ice cream. Of course, enjoy them as a sweet, salty treat on their own too. Yum!

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
2 egg whites
2 Tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 pound pecan halves

Preheat the oven to 250F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large zip-top bag, combine the sugar, cinnamon and salt. In a large bowl, whisk together the whites, water and vanilla. Add the pec...

Crunch, Crunch, Crunch

One of the things I love about cold weather is that I get to see the horses at least twice a day.I could seriously listen to horses chewing all day long.Crunch, crunch, crunch.

Blurb

Red Rock Ranch, Book 2: ShowdownLook! It's my name! In someone else's book! Brittney Joy gave me an advanced reader copy and asked my opinion so she could include a blurb in her novel. How fun is that?

And if you'd like to read it yourself, I highly recommend it! Click here for a link (affiliate) to purchase. Enjoy!

The Life of the Party

Unrivaled dimples and a never-ending giggly personality.Claire just celebrated her fourth birthday (though when she came in our room that morning and we asked how old she was, she excited shouted, "I'm eight!"). It's an interesting thing having a child--four years really isn't all that long to know someone, but at the same time, it seems like she's been party of our family forever. It's only natural to have Claire around.
Pushing Kate on the bike while we waited for Evie to get off the school...

Sweet and Tangy Mustard Chicken

This recipe produces chicken with the perfect balance of sweet and tangy--even the kids cleared their plates!

Ingredients:

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
1/2 cup Dijon mustard (or 1/4 cup mustard plus 1/4 mayo with a pinch of sweetener)
1/4 cup pure maple syrup (good thing we can harvest our own!)
1 Tablespoon cider vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons rosemary (optional)
1 Tablespoon cornstarch
1 Tablespoon cold water

Preheat oven to 450F and line...

Somebody Likes The Snow

We've had one snowfall this year and already, I'm a bit sour about snow, probably from last year's never-ending winter. I don't like the mud, the slick roads, the fact that I'm pretty much cooped inside with home improvement projects until the temperature warms up. There is a few benefits though: it's pretty, we can go sledding (and maybe someday I'll teach my horses to pull a sleigh) and the animals always have a blast.
The horses and the dog love it.
At least somebody likes the snow.

31

For some reason, it seems like my thirtieth year of life flew by and yesterday, the girls and Jack were already singing Happy Birthday to me for my thirty-first.
Making kitty ears after a nice, loooong nap.Like turning thirty, nothing magical changed the day I turned a year older. I do find a few more white hairs than I did even at thirty (it's got to start sometime, I guess) but overall, I think I'm in pretty good shape thanks to a continuous year of running and my overall God-given good...