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Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Crafts...Garden....Decluttering!

Busy week.... And finally some photos...
I've been decluttering my craft space, slowly but surely. And my bookshelves. Joyfully I just found out that my favorite used bookstore Lorem Ipsum just moved into a new space about 2 1/2 blocks from me.
Here are my bookshelves, semi-arranged by theme.

And here is my favorite part of my craft space, the peg board system I got for my birthday.
This is a tea container that I fitted with peg board attachments, markers fit perfectly.
And here's a sock bunny I made for a recent swap...I made him a little baby sock bunny too. My daughter has named him Awkward Bunny.
and finally...my new garden, in beginning stages. In the containers are strawberries, mint, a pussy willow, English lavender, and lemon balm. My lavender, sage, and tarragon are in the ground. I have blocked off an area to build a raised bed around. It's a start. It's been far too rainy to do anything to it this week.

Thursday, March 25, 2010

Great looking online class!

Sharon, from the blog The Chatelaine's Keys is offering an online class soon on Food Storage and Preservation. Looks great!!! Check it out..... her blog is really inspirational.
Food Storage and Preservation

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Independence Days March 23, 2010-Post #4

 A very fruitful weekend for me! It was 70 degrees F, which is unheard of for March here. So, I spent the weekend moving my perennials from my old community garden plot to my new front yard, where I'll be doing my gardening this year.....pictures coming soon. I couldn't find my camera.

Also I am switching the categories a bit.....just so you know! They're based on the Chatelaine Key's Year Two Independence Days.

1. Plant something.
I moved my tarragon, sage, lavender-2 kinds, chives, mint and lemon balm to my new space and got them planted. I also moved my pussy willow (one of my only truly ornamental plants) and some day lilies (yummmmmm).


Also started some sprouts. I've fallen off the sprout bandwagon. They're clover sprouts. I got them last time we were in Montreal.

This week...starting seeds!

2. Harvest something.
Nothing to harvest. : ( I checked the nettles at the community garden but there aren't enough to make soup out of. Soon, soon.

3. Preserve something.
Didn't really preserve much....but I did make a ton of meals to freeze for the week. Oh...I did string up a bunch of hot peppers to dry, so they wouldn't go bad.

4. Reduce waste.
Used paper towel and tp rolls to make more seed starters. Used the food waste from my massive meal prep to feed the worms, except for the onions which they hate. Those were composted. Used newspaper that would have been recycled as new worm bedding.

5. Preparation and Storage.
Got my plot staked out. Now I must scavenge some cinder blocks to make a raised bed. This is a funny category for everything that isn't especially food related. I also worked on some herbal remedies for an herbal swap I am doing on craftster.

6. Build Community Food Systems.
Placed and received my first buying club order. Got some free seeds from someone at the Urban Homesteaders Meet-Up Group. Must get to one of their meet-ups one of these days!

7. Eat the Food.
Oh boy did I make food. Mostly from supplies on hand, I absolutely raided my pantry and made:
1 pot of veggie chili
1 pot of corn and potato chowder
4 loaves of bread
4 chickpea patties- based on the recipe here. I am in LOVE with vital wheat gluten! Good thing too, as I got tons of it in my buying club order.
2 bean patties
1 pot of black eyed peas and veg
Massive amounts of rice

Most of this is in the freezer for food throughout the week. I left some chili for my boyfriend's roommate, and left them three loaves of bread. Plus I let Tim have half the chowder so he can meat it up.

Friday, March 19, 2010

Independence Days...postponed until this weekend

I'm going to postpone until this weekend, so I actually have something to report! I have a busy weekend planned with all sorts of activities. And I'll be taking pictures. So... stay tuned....

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Oh wow...fun blog I stumbled upon.

I love it.
Unstuffed
It has keep me entertained for a long time today. Really good info on it. It's written by a woman who did a buy nothing year, which turned into a lot longer than that. I am going to finish this post and go back to exploring. It's definitely in my bookmarks now.

Friday, March 12, 2010

Friday March 12, Independence Days Post

1. Plant something.

Once again, not yet. I think next week will be the week. I have been making seed starters though, out of upcycled toilet paper and paper towel rolls.

2. Harvest something.

Nothing to harvest. : (

3. Preserve something.

Continued with the rep pepper freezing and chopping. Man, I got a lot of red peppers!!!!!

4. Prep something.

*sigh* Not much. Man, I haven't done much this week.

5. Cook something.

I made a TON of lasagna. I figure if you're going to go to all that trouble you might as well make tons, so I did. One pan for me, one for Misha, one for Tim and one for Misha's friend Guchie.

6. Manage your reserves.

*sigh* Nope.

7. Work on local food systems.

I started my first buying club order. I am psyched!!! It's due on Wednesday, the 17th. So far I've only put a few things in my cart, but this is going to be good. I've missed being in a buying club.

OK not much to report this week, obviously....

Friday, March 5, 2010

Oh! Exciting news!!!

I have signed up to be a demonstrator for The Angel Company. I'm quite excited about it. They have Copic markers!!! So, if anyone reading this would like a catalog, shoot me an email at amymisha@comcast.net. I haven't got my cattys yet, but they'll be here soon I hope!

Friday, March 5-Independence Days Post #2

1. Plant something.

Not yet!! Snow on the ground when I woke up this morning! I did get my seeds for making seed bombs for May 1st, International Sunflower Guerrilla Gardening Day!
Link here!

And I got some other seeds in a swap. Haven't started seed starters yet... must get my some space first to start them. I got potting soil though!

2. Harvest something.

Too cold and snowy/rainy...nothing to harvest. : (

3. Preserve something.

I got an awesome score of red peppers, hot peppers, and other veggies at the "damaged produce" section of Stop & Shop. So I've been cutting them up and freezing them. I still have pounds and pounds to finish. Tomorrow is my day off, so I'll be finishing filling my freezer!

4. Prep something.

Same prepping as last week. But, the Frugal-Along 2010 on craftster has a theme for March of decluttering, so I have big plans for this month!

5. Cook something.

With all the seitan I made last week I made Kentucky Fried seitan, one of Misha's favorite dinners!

Here's a good recipe from Vegan Dad, one of my favorite cooking blogs.... I deep fry mine, but want to start using less oil, so I'm going to try pan frying next time. We ate it all up...so now I have to make more seitan this weekend.

INGREDIENTS
- 1/2 cup canola oil
- 2 cups bread crumbs
- salt, pepper, nutritional yeast flakes (optional)
- 6 slices of seitan, or seitan cutlets
- 2 cups plain soymilk
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 4 tbsp margarine
- 2 tbsp flour
- 2 cups soymilk
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp salt, white pepper
- 1 tsp dried rosemary, chopped
TIP! If you don't have breadcrumbs, process some cornflakes in the blender.

METHOD:
1. Heat oil in frying pan in med-hi.
2. Put bread crumbs in a medium bowl. Season with salt, pepper, and nutritional yeast flakes if desired.
3. Put soymilk in another medium bowl. Stir in lemon juice until soymilk thickens.
4. Dip seitan cutlet in soymilk mixture, then roll in breadcrumbs, then back in the soymilk, then coat again in crumbs.
5. Fry for 4-5 mins per side, until golden brown. Drain on paper towel.

1. Melt margarine on medium in a saucepan.
2. Whisk in flour, and continue to whisk until light brown.
3. Slowly whisk in soymilk and lemon juice. Bring to a slow boil, until mixture thickens.
4. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add rosemary.

6. Manage your reserves.

Same as last week. My pantry is a disaster.

7. Work on local food systems.

I signed up for my CSA, for a full season which goes until December!!! June through December, yay!

And I found a local buying club. First order will be soon.... looking forward to that!!!

Well...that's my Independence Days for this week. More next Friday.