The portion of the post is "sponsored" by the fictitious product "Powdermilk Biscuits" "Made from whole wheat raised in the rich bottomlands of the Lake Wobegon river valley by Norwegian bachelor farmers” --Garrison Keillor

The other day, a regular customer to our Front Porch Farm Stand got to talking about raw milk – how expensive it is for a family with kids.   Of course, the conversation turned to how I grew up on raw goat's milk and how our dietary habits have changed over the years.

She wondered what we drank.  I said that we really don’t drink milk at all. Our family has never been big on drinking milk. But when we use milk, we found a way to stretch it.

Stretch Your Stores

I remember my grandmother mixing  powdered milk into regular whole milk as a way of making the milk go further.  She used the instant dry milk and, back then, that did help to make the price of milk more economical.

We rarely use whole milk, but use (Organic) Non-Instant Powdered Milk in our coffee and when baking.  I like to mix up a enough powered milk in a quart canning jar and store it in the fridge for a week's worth of use.

Powdered milk is a very good source of protein and we use the non instant (and, thus, more expensive) kind for more nutritional value.  We find that having fresh milk around when we don't drink or even use that much tends to be a waste as it will spoil.  Having powdered milk around solves the dilemma for us.

Here are some ideas for using Dry Milk:

1. Add to pancakes.
2. Mix in muffin batter.
3. Add to scrambled eggs before cooking.
4. Mix in biscuits.
5. Mix dry milk ahead and refrigerate for drinking.
6. Cook hot cereal in dry milk.
7. Prepare hot chocolate.
8. Make Rice Pudding.
9. Make easy vanilla pudding.
10. Make cold chocolate milk.
11. Make the night before to pour over breakfast cereal.
12. Whiz a milk shake.
13. Prepare macaroni and cheese.
14. Make cream of potato soup.
15. Mix in bread dough.
16. Mix in casseroles.
17. Mix in cornbread.
18. Use in cake batter.
19. Add extra dry milk powder for added protein and calcium.
20. Add two tablespoons to fortify liquid meals with more protein and calcium.
21. Add to mashed potatoes.
22. Make into buttermilk.
23. Add to hot drinks instead of creamer.
24. Use in cookie recipes.
25. Take on trips to use for breakfast cereal.
26. Take camping.
27. Take backpacking.
28. Add to master mix for baked products.
29. Make a cream sauce for pasta.
30. Reconstitute and add to regular milk to reduce cost.
31. Make potato soup.
32. Make evaporated milk: one cup dry milk mixed with 2/3 cup water is the equivalent of 1 can of evaporated skim milk.

List Courtesy of BePrepared2Day

:: Resources ::

Dry Milk No Longer A Frugal Alternative

Powder Milk Biscuits

Recipes Using Powdered Milk via Recipe Chic

and last but not least!

Can't believe last week went by and I only took one, ONLY one, photo of our meals last week.  Sorry to disappoint but I have a list of excuses people! Guess that shows you how busy I am. Going to have to tie that camera around my neck. I'll try to do better next time.

On the food front...

The figs are finally ripe so we devoured our first fig quesadilla of the season. I know, sounds odd but it's soooo delicious!

Harvested another 50 lbs of honey yesterday bringing the harvest honey totals to 130+lbs. There's probably one more honey harvest and then we'll leave the rest to the bees for winter.

In the kitchen, we are putting up peaches, apples, tomatoes, grapes, beans, carrots and more!

In the garden, time to get a jump on fall plantings.  Not too early to kick start the fall garden.

On the web front, Jordanne is working on a program that will allow us to publish our recipes online so stay tuned for that. Not only that but she is working on some other stuff, but for now that's under wraps!

Busy, busy, busy!

Summer's nearly over... my how time flies!

Finally, figs!

Fig quesadillas

WEEK OF EATS AT THE URBAN HOMESTEAD

All food items are homemade/homegrown/home preserved unless otherwise specified

Our Food Pledge

If not from backyard, then locally produced
If not locally produced, then organic.
If not organic, then family farm.
If not family farm, then local business.
If not local business, then fair trade.

SATURDAY

Breakfast - blueberry pancakes with strawberries
Dinner - flour tortillas with spanish rice, topped with sauteed green peppers and red onions

SUNDAY

Breakfast - french toast and honey
Lunch - Saturday dinner leftovers
Dinner - cream of tomato soup with tabbouleh

MONDAY

Breakfast - french toast and honey
Lunch - veggie patty with cucumber and tomato, basil salad
Dinner - leftover tomato soup with homemade bread

TUESDAY

Breakfast - apple crumble
Lunch - veggie patty sandwich with cucumber, tomato and basil salad
Dinner - summer veggie pasta - pickled peppers, tomatoes, peppers and basil

WEDNESDAY

Breakfast -apple crumble
Lunch - veggie patty with rice and cucumber, tomato and basil salad
Dinner - fig quesadillas

THURSDAY

Breakfast - french toast and honey
Lunch - summer veggie pasta - pickled peppers, tomatoes, peppers and basil
Dinner - herb pizza dough topped with tomatoes, basil, peppers, garlic with carrot, raisin citrus dressing salad

FRIDAY

Breakfast - french toast and honey
Lunch - tomato, avocado sandwich with cucumber, tomato and basil salad
Dinner - no knead bread, fresh tomato sauce (tomatoes, onions, peppers, parsley, basil) over spaghetti with salad

What summer time treats/feasts are you enjoying in your neck of the woods? Are you "Eating Closer to Home?"  Then join our food challenge to reduce your FOOD PRINT

Though we haven't posted much in the way of the ongoing impact our little film has had, we are happy to report that our homemade film is still growing strong.

Our short film, Homegrown Revolution (you can buy the DVD here) will be screening at home and abroad.

International Christian Film Festival – UK (Aug 3 – 7)
The Heart of England International Film Festival (Aug 10 – 15)
International Film Festival Ireland (Sept 4 -11)
37th International Fest of Sustainable Development - EKOTop Film, Bratislava, Slovakia (Oct 10 – 15)
International Film Festival USA – Ohio (Oct 12 – 16)
Southern Appalachian International Film Festival (Oct 27 - Nov 14)
International Film Festival South Africa (Nov 1 – 5)

As urban homestead ambassadors, we are hoping to perhaps follow our film. Can't be at all the venues, but it's quite POSSIBLE there's chance we could attend the Appalachian Film Festival in Erwin, Tennessee.

Arrangements/plans are in the works.

Sowing the Revolution

Over the years, we have received lots of invites, and we'd love to go and meet other people and share knowledge, but we have to cover expenses. We accept trips that people have helped with travel expenses, etc... even an extra room for us to crash in or a place to camp.

If we can link several people together and have some paid presentations, the expenses and room and board (meals) can be spread out between multiple groups so no one person has to foot all the bill.

On the JulesDervaes.com website (here's an OVERVIEW), there is a form for people to fill out who want us to travel to their area. If we can group a lot of people together who are willing to do the "leg-work" and all the arrangements, it makes it easier for us to leave the farm for a short time. It's not that we prefer the places we have visited over other places; it those trips were arranged by the hosting groups, and we didn't go into debt to travel there.

In New Zealand, the people who invited us expected only about 50-80 people to attend the presentation...nearly 220 people came and the organizers made more money than they expected.

"The New Brighton Project was lucky enough to have the opportunity to host Jules Dervaes and his family when they recently visited New Zealand. While here, Jules Dervaes presented the workshop Urban Self-Sufficiency- Eating and Living the Sustainable Way in one of our community centres.

His film, Homegrown Revolution, and presentation was very well received. Highly professional, the format was also simple enough that even a novice could 'take something home'.

The power of community was really seen on the day. Such was the popularity of the Dervaes family and the success of modern social networking!

We thoroughly enjoyed having the Dervaes family be a part of our community for a day and would recommend anyone who had the chance to do the same."

-- Rebecca

That reminds me, got to write and share pics from our New Zealand trip!

Last, but not least, there are TWO upcoming TV pieces. One is supposed to air on the Australian SBS TV program DATELINE and the other on MY GENERATION (PBS) produce by KCET's own Val Zavala. We'll keep you posted on both air dates.

Well, there you have it! That's the most recent news from the homefront.

Don't forget to leave us a comment if you are in any of these areas ya hear!

Growing Right Along

Though I know it really has nothing to do with the title of this post, there's so much news and projects in the works I don't even know where to start.

Some important things to mention so listen up and listen carefully!

Jordanne's working on a couple "top secret" projects. HINT: has to do with one of her favorite things.

I know ya'll have be clamoring for recipes so she's also working a a recipe sharing sort of thing that will feature recipes from LHITC.

Not only that but upgrades to our gardening social network, Freedom Gardens, is in order and so to with the popular photo gallery. The most hit page on our website is getting yet another face lift and even more photos!

Are you totally excited and impressed like I am?

Well then, here's where I am going to add a gentle reminder that LHITC is ad free. If you enjoy daily reads here, gleaning information and inspiration here's how you can go about supporting our growing outreach. Or send a big box chocolate to keep this girl going as she works into the wee hours of the night to tackle some of these projects.

After a cool start weather wise, the summer harvest is now just started to pour in and what a blessings. We are so thankful for the bounty that the earth provides.

Now for some incredibly yummy photos. Going to mix in a few shots of what we harvested (many of the seed varieties can be purchased from our seed store Freedom Seeds) along with what we have been eating.

Heirloom tomatoes

Basket of peaches

Apples

and more apples!

Part of the winter squash harvest Pumpkin, Baby Blue Hubbard and Burgess (www.FreedomSeeds.org)

Chantenay Red Core Carrots (www.FreedomSeeds.org)

Eggplant, tomato and basil bruschetta with tabouleh

Peacevine Cherry Tomatoes (www.FreedomSeeds.org)

Veggie patty with beans and carrots

Double Yield Cucumber (www.FreedomSeeds.org)

A whooper! Cherokee Purple Tomato (www.FreedomSeeds.org)

Tabbouleh with tomato and summer squash pasta

Homemade/handcranked peach ice cream

Homegrown toppings for pizza

Sun cooked pizza in sun oven (www.PeddlersWagon.com)

Provider Green Beans (www.FreedomSeeds.org)

Homemade/handcranked strawberry ice cream

Vegetable pot pie with cucumber and tomato salad

Tomato, cucumber soup with herb croutons

WEEK OF EATS AT THE URBAN HOMESTEAD

All food items are homemade/homegrown/home preserved unless otherwise specified

Our Food Pledge

If not from backyard, then locally produced
If not locally produced, then organic.
If not organic, then family farm.
If not family farm, then local business.
If not local business, then fair trade.

SATURDAY

Breakfast - blueberry pancakes with strawberries
Dinner - flour tortillas with spanish rice, topped with sauteed green peppers and red onions

SUNDAY

Breakfast - apple crumble
Lunch - Saturday dinner leftovers
Dinner - avocado and tomato sandwich

MONDAY

Breakfast - apple crumble
Lunch - tomato and squash pasta with tabouleh
Dinner - tomato and squash pasta with green beans

TUESDAY

Breakfast - apple crumble
Lunch - veggie pot pie with cucumber and tomato salad
Dinner - leftovers

WEDNESDAY

Breakfast -apple crumble
Lunch - tomato and cucumber salad with herb croutons
Dinner - leftovers

THURSDAY

Breakfast - apple crumble
Lunch - vegetable patty with carrots and green beans
Dinner - herb pizza dough topped with tomatoes, basil, peppers, garlic with carrot, raisin citrus dressing salad

FRIDAY

Breakfast - french toast and honey
Lunch - roasted eggplant, tomato and basil bruschetta with tabouleh
Dinner - no knead bread, fresh tomato sauce (tomatoes, onions, peppers, parsley, basil) over spaghetti with salad

What summer time treats/feasts are you enjoying in your neck of the woods?

Rice and veggies

Veggie patty

Mashed turnips and carrots with parsley

Squash, tomato, basil pasta with mashed turnips, carrots herbs

Strawberries for dessert

Peaches too

Cherokee purple tomato

Tomato, cucumber purple basil salad

WEEK OF EATS AT THE URBAN HOMESTEAD

All food items are homemade/homegrown/home preserved unless otherwise specified

Our Food Pledge

If not from backyard, then locally produced
If not locally produced, then organic.
If not organic, then family farm.
If not family farm, then local business.
If not local business, then fair trade.

SATURDAY

Breakfast - blueberry pancakes with strawberries
Dinner - flour tortillas with spanish rice, topped with sauteed green peppers and red onions

SUNDAY

Breakfast - apricot apple crumble
Lunch - Saturday dinner leftovers
Dinner - squash blossoms stuffed with herb cheese with tabbouleh (mint, parsley, tomatoes, red onions and cucumbers)

MONDAY

Breakfast - apricot apple crumble
Lunch - veggie patty with green beans
Dinner - veggie patty with tomato, cucumber and purple basil salad

TUESDAY

Breakfast - apricot apple crumble
Lunch - zucchini, tomato, basil pasta with mashed turnips, carrots and herbs
Dinner - zucchini, tomato, basil pasta with mashed turnips, carrots and herbs

WEDNESDAY

Breakfast -apricot apple crumble
Lunch - avocado and tomato sandwich
Dinner - out

THURSDAY

Breakfast - apricot apple crumble
Lunch - green beans and herb rice pilaf
Dinner - herb pizza dough topped with tomatoes, basil, peppers, garlic with carrot, raisin citrus dressing salad

FRIDAY

Breakfast - french toast and honey
Lunch - avocado sandwich with carrot, raisin citrus dressing salad
Dinner - no knead bread, fresh tomato sauce (tomatoes, onions, peppers, parsley, basil) over spaghetti with salad

What summer time treats/feasts are you enjoying in your neck of the woods?

Tropical cherry upside down cake

Blueberry Muffins

Tabbouleh

Steamed green beans

More tabbouleh

Fried squash blossoms and tabbouleh

Homegrown toppings

Avocado sandwich and carrot salad

Spaghetti and salad

Spanish rice

Goodbye June, hello July!

Not really looking forward to the heat of the summer. Lucky for us we've been socked in with nice gray marine layer in the morning which keeps the weather quite pleasant.    Actually wearing sweaters in the morn and evening to ward of the chill!  Of course the gloomy mornings aren't particularly good for the tomatoes, leaving them more susceptible to blight.

Tabbouleh was what's for lunch/dinner most of the week. No "007" complaints on that one. Absolutely love this summer salad. It's so simple and tasty and uses a good handful of mint that's growing like gangbusters and needs to be "controlled." At our last food co-op delivery I order both quiona and bulghur. Only the bulghur came in so will have to wait another month! Yeah, I know could just run to the local Whole Paycheck store but then where would the fun go? Besides, got a huge bag of bulghur that's not going to be used up any time soon.

Last week we enjoyed a few fruity treats like the 'tropical cherry upside down cake' and blueberry muffins. Though I love using up the homegrown fruit on hand, I hate making these fruit treats. Yeah, I know sounds crazy! But the fruit desserts are so yummy and if I don't watch it, I could end up gaining 10 lbs (or more) by the end of the summer. Jordanne didn't help things by making apricot ice cream (pics to come) not once, but twice. Oh dear. Why does this stuff have to taste soooo good. In fact, we gals are thinking about having an old fashion 'Ice Cream Social' - that would certainly be fun and fattening.

Another load of apples came in. I am so tempted to make an apple pie or two. How about one with cheese? Sufferin succotash, someone help me! Maybe should step away from the kitchen - yeah, fat chance!

Speaking of kitchen, the latest article which featured us homestead gals, we created a buzz over our beauty routine (or rather lack there of) We received a bunch of questions about "kitchen cosmetics" so we hope to address a few in later posts so stay tuned.

WEEK OF EATS AT THE URBAN HOMESTEAD

All food items are homemade/homegrown/home preserved unless otherwise specified

Our Food Pledge

If not from backyard, then locally produced
If not locally produced, then organic.
If not organic, then family farm.
If not family farm, then local business.
If not local business, then fair trade.

SATURDAY

Breakfast - blueberry pancakes with strawberries
Dinner - flour tortillas with spanish rice, topped with sauteed green peppers and red onions

SUNDAY

Breakfast - skillet granola (organic oats, sugar and oil) with strawberries and yogurt
Lunch - Saturday dinner leftovers
Dinner - summer mac & cheese (peppers, tomatoes)

MONDAY

Breakfast - skillet granola (organic oats, sugar and oil) with strawberries and yogurt
Lunch - vegetable soup (turnips, carrots, squash, onions, peppers, tomatoes, greens)
Dinner - vegetable soup (turnips, carrots, squash, onions, peppers, tomatoes, greens)

TUESDAY

Breakfast - french toast with honey
Lunch - vegetable soup (turnips, carrots, squash, onions, peppers, tomatoes, greens)
Dinner - tabbouleh (mint, parsley, tomatoes, red onions) with green beans

WEDNESDAY

Breakfast -skillet granola with strawberries and yogurt
Lunch - out
Dinner - squash blossoms stuffed with herb cheese with tabbouleh (mint, parsley, tomatoes, red onions and cucumbers)

THURSDAY

Breakfast - french toast and honey
Lunch - green beans and rice
Dinner - herb pizza dough topped with tomatoes, basil, peppers, garlic with carrot, raisin citrus dressing salad

FRIDAY

Breakfast - french toast and honey
Lunch - avocado sandwich with carrot, raisin citrus dressing salad
Dinner - no knead bread, fresh tomato sauce (tomatoes, onions, peppers, parsley, basil) over spaghetti with salad

Veggie pot pie filling

Veggie pot pie warm out of the oven

Pasta cooked in the solar oven

Slice of veggie pot pie and salad

Vegetable casserole version one

Version one casserole with salad

Veggie soup

Vegetable casserole version two

Version two with salad

Whew doggie!  It's been a busy week here at the urban homestead   Busy with bees (getting ready to harvest some honey!), battling bad bugs, moving the tender greens to cooler spot in the yard and getting things ready for a major can-a-thon.  I might as well admit to the fact that it'll be awhile before we come up for breath!

The summer produce has been, for the last few weeks, lapping at the dam.  This week it finally topped and now the fun begins.

When the trickle becomes a tidal wave.  you gotta be prepared for the onslaught.  It can come at you fast and, if you aren't prepared, can bowl you over, leaving you buried under a load of veggies and fruit.   For me, this time of year,  there are just too many darn veggies to choose from!  Should I make this dish, or that, or how about this one?   Heck, there are only three meals in a day; but, with the baskets of fruits and veggies, I feel like a kid in a candy store!  I want to eat them all.

This week with so much work, we opted to "keep it simple" and stick with "one pot" meal for lunch which we then can re-heat in the solar oven for dinner.   Saves time and uses a LOT of veggies at once - not to mention it's filling!

The trusted ol' casserole ruled the week as we tried out two versions.

WEEK OF EATS AT THE URBAN HOMESTEAD

All food items are homemade/homegrown/home preserved  unless otherwise specified

and ...

If not from backyard, then locally produced
If not locally produced, then organic.
If not organic, then family farm.
If not family farm, then local business.
If not local business, then fair trade.

SATURDAY

Breakfast - blueberry pancakes with strawberries
Dinner - flour tortillas with spanish rice, topped with sauteed green peppers and red onions

SUNDAY

Breakfast - grapefruit from Farmer Sergio
Lunch - garden tea party!

MONDAY

Breakfast - skillet granola (organic oats, sugar and oil) with strawberries and yogurt
Lunch - vegetable soup (onions, green peppers, turnips, carrots, winter squash and greens)
Dinner - leftover veggie soup that was warmed up in the sun oven

TUESDAY

Breakfast - french toast with honey
Lunch - veggie pot pie (green beans, carrots, turnips, winter squash, herbs) with salad
Dinner - leftover veggie pot pie that was warmed up in the sun oven with salad

WEDNESDAY

Breakfast -skillet granola with strawberries and yogurt
Lunch - veggie medley "Casserole I"  (green beans, carrots, turnips, winter & summer squash and greens) with shredded carrot and lettuce salad
Dinner - leftover veggie soup that was warmed up in the sun oven with sun cooked pasta

THURSDAY

Breakfast - french toast and honey
Lunch - veggie medley "Casserole II"  (green beans, carrots, turnips, winter & summer squash and greens) with salad
Dinner -herb pizza dough topped with tomatoes, basil, peppers, garlic with salad

FRIDAY

Breakfast - grapefruit
Lunch - leftover veggie "Casserole II" with salad
Dinner - no knead bread, fresh tomato sauce over spaghetti

Care to share what you've been enjoying, eating recently? Are you making more meals from scratch or homegrown ingredients. What new dishes have you tried and liked?

For those of you who are internet savvy you can follow happenings on the urban homestead on FACEBOOK and TWITTER!

Weeks are going by so fast, by the time I turn around I am already behind in posting our week's worth of meals.   Oh well, better late than never I suppose.

A reader had a suggestion (a good one) so will take his advice.  He suggested have a disclaimer on each weekly meal wrap up that says something to the effect:

"All food items are homemade/homegrown/home preserved unless otherwise specified"

Will save some time and repetitiveness - a good thing, so thanks for the tip Cody!

Oh and once again I did a rather pathetic job at photographing the meals (too busy taking critter and garden photos!)  I'll do better next time (I hope)

I know many of you will be shocked that we changed breakfast eats.  Yep, I told you change was coming - gotta use up all those jars in the cupboards.

Guess you can tell by the menu what was in season, surplus this week - broccoli!!!!

SATURDAY

All food items are homemade/homegrown/home preserved unless otherwise specified

Breakfast - pancakes with strawberry sauce
Dinner - flour tortillas, spanish rice with organic black beans

SUNDAY

Breakfast - fruit preserves & organic peanut butter on bread
Lunch - leftovers from Sat dinner
Dinner - broccoli, green onion soup

MONDAY

Breakfast - fruit preserves & organic peanut butter on bread
Lunch - broccoli, green onion soup
Dinner - broccoli with herb butter with CA grown, organic rice

TUESDAY

Breakfast - fruit preserves & organic peanut butter on bread
Lunch - broccoli, green onion soup
Dinner -broccoli cheese casserole with salad

WEDNESDAY

Breakfast - fruit preserves & organic peanut butter on bread
Lunch - broccoli with herb butter with CA grown, organic rice
Dinner - broccoli cheese casserole with salad

THURSDAY

Breakfast - skillet granola
Lunch - baked squash with salad
Dinner -herb pizza dough topped with tomato sauce, pickled garlic, peppers and broccoli

FRIDAY

Breakfast - skillet granola
Lunch - broccoli with herb butter with CA grown, organic rice
Dinner -  no knead bread, tomato sauce and pasta with salad

-----------------------------------------------------------

All food items are homemade/homegrown/home preserved unless otherwise specified

Thanks to a recent gather we had loads of extra organic split pea soup (thanks Harold!)  and guess what was for dinner?  Yep, you guessed it - soup!

SATURDAY

Breakfast - pancakes with strawberry sauce
Dinner -potluck

SUNDAY

Breakfast - fruit preserves & organic peanut butter on bread
Lunch - leftovers from potluck
Dinner - leftovers from potluck

MONDAY

Breakfast - fruit preserves & organic peanut butter on bread
Lunch - leftovers from potluck
Dinner - leftovers from potluck

TUESDAY

Breakfast - fruit preserves & organic peanut butter on bread
Lunch - leftovers from potluck
Dinner - leftovers from potluck

WEDNESDAY

Breakfast - fruit preserves & organic peanut butter on bread
Lunch - broccoli with herb butter with CA grown, organic rice
Dinner - avocado, lettuce, squash pickle raw cheese sandwich

THURSDAY

Breakfast - fruit preserves & organic peanut butter on bread
Lunch - broccoli with herb butter with CA grown, organic rice
Dinner -herb pizza dough topped with tomato sauce, pickled garlic, peppers and broccoli with salad

FRIDAY

Breakfast - skillet granola
Lunch - broccoli cheese casserole
Dinner -  no knead bread, tomato sauce and pasta with salad

SATURDAY

Breakfast - homemade buttermilk pancakes with homepreserved strawberry sauce
Dinner - homemade flour tortillas, homemade spanish rice with organic black beans

SUNDAY

Breakfast - homemade skillet granola
Lunch - homemade vegetable soup (homegrown lima beans, broccoli, greens)
Dinner - homemade vegetable soup (homegrown lima beans, broccoli, greens) with organic CA grown brown rice

MONDAY

Breakfast - homemade skillet granola
Lunch - homemade vegetable soup (homegrown lima beans, broccoli, greens) with organic CA grown brown rice
Dinner - homegrown broccoli, pasta cheese casserole with homegrown salad topped with homegrown tomatoes

TUESDAY

Breakfast - homemade skillet granola
Lunch - homemade lentil loaf with homegrown salad
Dinner - homemade lentil loaf with homegrown salad

WEDNESDAY

Breakfast - homemade skillet granola
Lunch - out
Dinner - homemade lentil loaf with homegrown salad

THURSDAY

Breakfast - homemade skillet granola
Lunch - out
Dinner - homegrown broccoli, pasta cheese casserole with homegrown salad topped with homegrown tomatoes

FRIDAY

Breakfast - homemade skillet granola
Lunch - raw cheese grilled cheese sandwich with homegrown/canned jalepeno jelly and homegrown/canned squash pickles
Dinner - homemade no knead bread, homegrown/canned tomato sauce and pasta

Before leaving on our trip,  I didn't have much time to make any "decent" meals.

Thankfully we were still getting homegrown, fresh tomatoes, crunchy lettuce and Farmer Sergio brought us some avocados for quick n easy sandwiches. Add a can of homegrown/canned pickled beans and you got yourself a meal!

SATURDAY

Breakfast - homemade buttermilk pancakes with homepreserved strawberry sauce
Dinner - homemade flour tortillas, spanish rice with organic black beans

SUNDAY

Breakfast - homemade skillet granola
Lunch - leftovers
Dinner - local avocados, homegrown tomatoes, homegrown lettuce, raw cheese sandwich

MONDAY

Breakfast - homemade skillet granola
Lunch - homegrown lima beans and organic CA grown brown rice
Dinner - local avocados, homegrown tomatoes, homegrown lettuce, raw cheese sandwich

TUESDAY

Breakfast - homemade skillet granola
Lunch - local avocados, homegrown tomatoes, homegrown lettuce, raw cheese sandwich with homegrown/canned pickled beans
Dinner - local avocados, homegrown tomatoes, homegrown lettuce, raw cheese sandwich with homegrown/canned pickled beans

WEDNESDAY

Breakfast - homemade skillet granola
Lunch - out
Dinner - homemade lentil loaf with homegrown salad

THURSDAY

Breakfast - homemade skillet granola
Lunch - lentil loaf sandwich with homegrown lettuce, homegrown tomatoes
Dinner - lentil loaf sandwich with homegrown lettuce, homegrown tomatoes

FRIDAY

left to Nor Cal

Do Things Different

There's changes coming.  Seeing we have loads of fig jam and guava jam, going to start changing the breakfast menu and using up what we have in our pantry.

It's going to be a challenge because everyone (these days) is getting up at a different times.  That's why homemade granola was so handy and just a habit.  Make it the day/night before and whenever you wake up you could just pour yourself a bowl and top with whatever homegrown fruit that's on the counter.

But with the new year, we resolved to do better and break out of old habits.  There's (better) changes on the way.

What changes are you making so far this new year?  Care to share.

Enjoy!

Summer vegetable medley

SATURDAY

Breakfast - homemade pancakes
Dinner - homemade flour tortillas, homemade rice (homegrown peppers, tomatoes) with homegrown red peppers and cheese

SUNDAY

Breakfast - homemade skillet granola
Lunch - leftovers from Saturday
Dinner - homegrown roasted eggplant, red peppers with pasta

MONDAY

Breakfast - homemade skillet granola
Lunch - OUT
Dinner - CA grown organic rice with homegrown squash, red peppers and greens

TUESDAY

Breakfast - homemade skillet granola
Lunch - homemade homegrown vegetable soup (greens, peppers, eggplant, squash)
Dinner - homemade homegrown vegetable soup (greens, peppers, eggplant, squash)

WEDNESDAY

Breakfast - homemade skillet granola
Lunch - homemade homegrown vegetable soup (greens, peppers, eggplant, squash)
Dinner - homemade homegrown vegetable soup (greens, peppers, eggplant, squash)

THURSDAY

Breakfast - homemade skillet granola
Lunch - homemade/homegrown herb pizza crust topped with homegrown tomatoes, peppers, eggplant and mozzarella cheese
Dinner -OUT

FRIDAY

Breakfast - homemade skillet granola
Lunch - leftover pizza with homegrown salad
Dinner - homemade/canned tomato sauce with pasta and parmesan cheese with homegrown salad

Winter squash

Tropical treats from our backyard and trades other fellow gardeners/farmers in the area

Chopped tromboncino squash

Wild rice (thanks to Erik from Minnesota ) pilaf with smashed squash

Melon (from Farmer Sergio), homegrown pomegranate and pineapple guava salad

Another huge tromboncino destined for the pot

Squash with pomegranate syrup and tangerine (from Janice K) salad

Vegetarian thanksgiving

Watermelon from Farmer Sergio

Colorful and tasty salad (Tangerines from Janice K - thanks!)

Last week here on the urban homestead was squash week!  Squash for lunch, squash for dinner.  I don't know about you but with the cooler weather one can never have enough, warm and tasty winter squash!  Definitely getting our daily allowance of vitamin A (beta carotene) from the squash and Vitamin C thanks to the citrus and tropical treats.  Also enjoyed few unseasonable treats for this time of year- melons courtesy of Farmer Sergio.

SATURDAY

Breakfast - homemade pancakes
Dinner - homemade flour tortillas, homemade rice (homegrown peppers, tomatoes) with homegrown red peppers and cheese

SUNDAY

Breakfast - homemade skillet granola
Lunch - leftovers from Saturday
Dinner -OUT

MONDAY

Breakfast - homemade skillet granola
Lunch - homemade homegrown vegetable soup (greens, peppers, eggplant, squash)
Dinner - homegrown winter squash with homemade wild rice pilaf (wild rice courtesy of Erik in MN) made with homegrown celery and herbs

TUESDAY

Breakfast - homemade skillet granola
Lunch - homegrown tromboncino squash topped with homegrown/made pomegranate syrup, homegrown salad topped with tangerines (trade with Janice K) and homegrown pomegranates
Dinner - homegrown tromboncino squash with homemade wild rice pilaf (wild rice courtesy of Erik in MN) made with homegrown celery and herbs

WEDNESDAY

Breakfast - homemade skillet granola
Lunch - homemade homegrown vegetable soup (greens, peppers, eggplant, squash)
Dinner - homegrown tromboncino squash with homegrown salad topped with tangerines (trade with Janice K) and homegrown pomegranates

THURSDAY

Breakfast - homemade skillet granola
Lunch - homemade/homegrown herb pizza crust topped with homegrown tomatoes, peppers, eggplant and mozzarella cheese
Dinner - homegrown squash, homegrown salad with tangerines (from Janice K) and tofurkey

FRIDAY

Breakfast - homemade skillet granola
Lunch - leftovers
Dinner - homemade/canned tomato sauce with pasta and parmesan cheese