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Friday, June 14, 2013

Up-Date from the Field - Video Blog

Hey y'all this is the first week of hotter temps and dry conditions so it has been a all hands on deck. So to give you an up-date on what I'm doing right now I thought I would do a video and tell you about it.


I just love the way I look right there

NOT.....but this is better than the first video I shot :)

One thing I didn't tell you in the video is if we don't get this rain over the weekend we will be in the wheat field next week, and if we do get this rain over the weekend then we will be in the field as soon as it's dry enough to run.

Gotta head to the hay field, so catch y'all later. 

Let me know what you guys think of video up-dates....if ya like them I will try and do them more often.

JP

Tuesday, June 4, 2013

Homemade Cream of Mushroom Soup (Gluten or Gluten Free)

 
Long before Caleb and I went Gluten Free I had thought about making my own cream of mushroom soup because I hate having to deal with all the cans when I would buy it. I would rather have it in my canning jars that I could wash and re-use. Well I never actually looked up a recipe and made it, but then we went gluten free and we could no longer use the store bought stuff....grr.

I miss the convience of using the store bought stuff, but o-well.

So, after being gluten free for a while I really started missing some of my recipes that used cream of mushroom, so I looked up a recipe and tweaked it to work for us.  And to be honest I really like it so I thought I would share it with you guys.

FYI: I will give both the gluten and the gluten free versions so you can decide how you want to make it.

I didn't take pictures when making this so the next time I make it I will and I will up-date this with some pics and step by steps.  

A few things about this recipe:
1. the original recipe called for 8 ounces of mushrooms, I found that was way too many for me so I only used 4 ounces, which made my pack of mushrooms go farther. 
2. I used dried onions instead of fresh ones cause I have them and they are easier. If I had dried minced garlic I would do the same thing.
3.The original recipe called for 1/4 tsp of nutmeg I cut that out cause it just didn't sound right in there and I like it just fine without it. But if your feeling froggy feel free to add it.

Ok lets get to the recipe....

Gluten Free Cream of Mushroom Soup

4-8 ounces Fresh Mushrooms
2 tablespoons Onions, chopped
1 -2 Garlic Clove, minced
2 tablespoons Butter
1 1/2 - tablespoons Corn Starch
1 1/2 - tablespoons Potato Starch
2 cups Chicken Broth
1 cup Cream or 1 cup Evaporated Milk (I use Cream)
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/4 teaspoon Pepper

Directions:

1.) Chop mushrooms into small pieces.
 
2.)Melt butter in large pan. Add in onions, garlic, and mushrooms. Cook until onions and mushrooms are soft.
  
 3.) Whisk corn starch and potato starch together. Then Stir 2 Tbs of that mixture into the mushrooms and onions.
 
4.) Add in the chicken broth and heat until slightly thickened, while stirring frequently.
 
5.) Whisk the rest of the corn starch / potato starch mixture into the cream along with the salt and pepper. Add cream mixture in to the soup and heat to thicken while stirring frequently. 
*I never seem to get enough salt in it. So my food usually needs more when I use it, but that's not a big deal. I would rather have too little salt than way too much.

Canning Instructions: 
Prepare jars and lids like normal for canning. 
You will need a pressure canner and will process the full jars of soup at 10 lbs of pressure for 40 minutes.  With soups you must can with a pressure canner to get the correct heat / seal something...pretty much so you don't get sick! If you don't have a pressure canner I would recommend Freezing instead

Freezing Another option if you don't have a pressure canner is freezing it. Just put it into freezer safe containers in 1 1/2 - 2 Cup batches. Then when ever you need it just thaw it out and use it.

~ If you have any questions feel free to ask.

*Ok for those of you that can use wheat flour here is the recipe for you....the only difference is you use all purpose flour instead of corn starch and potato starch.
 
Cream of Mushroom Soup (glutenized)

4-8 ounces Fresh Mushrooms
2 tablespoons Onions, chopped
1 -2 Garlic Clove, minced
2 tablespoons Butter 
2 -3 tablespoons Flour (separated)
2 cups Chicken Broth
1 cup Cream or 1 cup Evaporated Milk (I use Cream)
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/4 teaspoon Pepper


Directions:
1.) Chop mushrooms into small pieces.
 

2.) Melt butter in large pan. Add in onions, garlic, and mushrooms. Cook until onions and mushrooms are soft.
  
 3.) Stir 2 Tbs of flour into the mushrooms and onions.
 
4.) Add in the chicken broth and heat until slightly thickened, while stirring frequently.
 
5.) Whisk the rest of the flour into the cream along with the salt and pepper. Add cream mixture in to the soup and heat to thicken while stirring frequently.


Monday, June 3, 2013

Up-Dates and Life Changes (Going Gluten Free)

First things first...




Chester is going to be a big brother!! Coming this November are little two bedroom house is gonna get a little smaller and boy are we excited.  As of today I am about 16 weeks along and feeling great. Thanks for all the prayers that were sent our way as we were trying to get pregnant again, God is good!

In related news Chester has since gotten a big boy hair cut and...


 he has turned into quite the ladies man...sunggled up close with one little girl while holding the hand of another...oh my!


Now for the big news that I have been putting off talking about for oh about 8 months....this new isn't bigger than being pregnant, but it is more life changing.

After a trip to see Caleb's sister last Thanksgiving in Denver we have decided to go gluten free. Yeah I know we grow this beautiful stuff...


 And we can no longer eat it. 

Why you are probably asking?

Well about a year and half ago Caleb's sister was diagnosed with Celias Disease . And celiacs is some thing that actually can run in familes. Well on the way to Denver after eating dinner (lunch) Caleb started feeling yucky and having a spell where he just felt like crap, (headache, nausious, feeling like he was really weak and going to pass out)  nothing fun feeling that's for sure. He had been having these symptoms for a long time now. They would just pop up every once in a while, but he wouldn't ever go to the Doctor about them...until he had an anxiety attack that was related to the symptoms, then he went to the Doc and all the Doc diagnosed was the anxiety attack and didn't look at the symptoms that caused it. That's really annoying!

*On a side note, I had to take over driving while he tried to sleep and I couldn't make a sound and there wasn't allowed to listen to the radio or stop for anything fun...Needless to say when he was feeling a little better I I kinda gave him a ear full about figuring out what is going on with him and going to the Doc till he got an answer, cause 4 hours of having to be silent and drive with no radio kinda pissed me off...I won't lie. My belief on sickness/illness/cronic pain is if you aren't going to go to the Doc and figure out what is wrong with you than suck it up and don't wine about it...I'm all sorts of compassionate aren't I. 

Any way when we got to his sister's house we did some talking with her about things and she was saying that the symptoms very much sound like some of the symptoms of celiacs. So long story short we did some shopping, bought some supplies, came home and cleaned out my pantry and I am now a label reading gluten free hippy....lol 

It's not just Caleb that has to be gluten free it is me too. I have been having digestive issues for a long time and nothing seemed to help with it. I had thought it was more problematic when I ate greasy foods so I just blamed it on the grease...but then it would happen when I ate a turkey sandwich and that got me all sorts of confused. My sister who has had some of the say digestive issues said her Doc though it could be gluten....which got me thinking about that, but I wasn't about to go gluten free all by myself cause that would mean no more pizza....but since we thought it would help Caleb I thought I would do it too.

But since being on it, we both have noticed a big difference and we feel soo much better!! 

Facts about going Gluten Free:
  • There is no such thing as good gluten free bread. It's all really dense and hard as a rock! 
  • If you don't have to go gluten free but do just for fun, just know that Caleb and I think you are crazy! ;)
  •  After making a dozen different Pizza dough's I finally found one that is eatable, but it's still not as good as gluten pizza
  • Gluten Free pasta isn't bad
  • The gluten free cakes and cookies I have made have all been really good...except I did make a store bought box of browines that weren't eatable, which was really sad!

This has been a huge lifestyle change for us and it means we aren't able to eat out as much or fix stuff near as fast to eat. We are now those people that are high maintenance at family dinners, but oh well we feel better and we are so thankful for that!

I tell you all of this because tomorrow I will be shareing a recipe for Cream of Mushroom soup and it's gluten free and I wanted all of you to know why. I am also sharing the regular gluten version too, for those who don't need the gluten free version.

Lots of Love and Good Bread,

JP