Homemade Peanut Butter?!

I feel myself become a homestead wife.

Do ever get that excited feeling rise up in your chest as you are discovering something? Kind of like when you were a kid out looking for treasure. Your shovel clinks on something in the earth, and you just know that it's lost treasure.

I feel that way whenever I come across a new way to do something myself.

This morning I came across a new blog, honestly not sure how... I tend to bunny trail blogs. One blog leads to another, which leads to another, then another & next thing I know, I'm somewhere I've never been before. Back on topic, she was talking about learning how to make her own peanut butter. She said the same thing I was thinking, why have I not done this before??

Now to find healthy peanuts, and not just snack ones. hmmm, how hard is it to grow peanuts? hahah

2 week Menu

How fun, I didn't expect people to want my menu plan. I will say, there is nothing horribly special to it. It's not always the same meals in each menu. Some are always in rotation though.

Every 2 weeks, I buy a whole chicken and use it in some way during the next menu. I love doing this, because I can bake it first, get the good white meat off. Then I cook it down (in a big pot of water), make broth & get any other good meat off the bird. This one chicken that only costs me about $6.00, gives us 3-4 meals.

Sun - Potato Soup
Mon - Potato Soup
Tue - Spaghetti w/Meat Sauce
Wed - Spaghetti w/Meat Sauce
Thu - Baked Chicken w/Rice
Fri - Chicken & Veggie Soup
Sat - Chicken & Veggie Soup
Sun - Pot Pie
Mon - Pot Pie
Tue - Pot Roast
Wed - Pot Roast
Thu - Tacos, using leftover roast meat
Fri - Salmon, salad & veggies
Sat - Grilled Cheese & Tomato Soup

I do alot of my cooking from scratch. So, my spaghetti sauce is made at home. It's easier than I thought it could be and so much yummier! Like I said before, I make my own broth, so the Chicken Soup is completely from scratch. Some days I spend an hour in the kitchen & other days I'm not in there at all.

This plan works for me, because if I don't plan this far ahead, I go to the store too much & spend more money. It also works for me because I love to cook. I get so much satisfaction from seeing my boys gobble down something that I've created. Knowing that I am doing my best to nourish us and knowing what is going into our bodies.

Also, most days for lunch, Nathan & I eat leftovers. So, this makes lunchtime super easy!

Here's a couple recipes that we love.

Potato Soup ~ Given to me by my friend Tia

2quarts of water
6 medium-large potatoes
4 carrots, diced
6 celery stalks, diced
1 onion, chopped
6tbsp butter/oil (sometimes I cook bacon & use the grease, not as healthy, but oh so yummy)
6tsp flour
1-1/2 cups milk ~I use whole, but any kind will work
salt, pepper & parsley to taste

1. Boil potatoes, carrots & celery in salted water for 20 minutes.

2. Drain, saving broth.

3. Saute onion in butter/oil/bacon grease.

4. Stir in flour & gradually add milk and seasonings.

5. Stir in veggie & crush potatoes to desired chunkiness.

6. Add broth to desired consistency, save remaining broth. Soup thickens in the fridge, so add broth when re-heating.

7. Optional, top with cheese, bacon or favorite topping.


Chicken Pot Pie
~changes I make...
1. Recipes calls for half & half. I have always used whole milk, since I have it on hand and it works great.
2. Recipe tops filling with crust. I line the dish with crust & put filling on top. Just seems easier to me.

Pie Crust for Pot Pie I don't pre-bake this, so I skip step 3.