Eat.Shop.Sleep.Repeat.

Okay, so maybe the title is a slight exaggeration considering we are really trying to avoid the excess that often occurs during the holiday time BUT let me tell you about some for real deals we have gotten that hasn't busted our budget and will help us get through the holiday season with ease and bring the new year in with STOCKED pantry! Let's just say I have a stash of O.N.E. Coconut Water that would make a prepper envious.

Honest Company has a sale so I stocked up on Vivi's training pants that she needs for school. She prefers the stars pattern and can pull them up herself! 25% off with code THANKSGIVING good till 12/1/2014.

Honest Company

Of course, I got the Black Friday deal at PlantoEat.com. Half off for a whole year of meal planning...Love this site. I've been waiting for this sale for MONTHS!!



I grabbed a few actual gifts for family/teachers/friends, but for the most part we are giving some love from the kitchen this year!

Ryan's working on a trifecta rub and I grabbed some adorable favor tins to pack the seasonings in and some sparkly ribbon. We tried this on some toasted pumpkin seeds as a snack while cooking Thanksgiving supper; they were so tasty! Who knew that Ry's rub tweaked a smidge would be good on EVERYTHING. Well, he did.

I hope you had a restful holiday and you start the season with a smile. Onward to the Christmas Tree farm!

Incredibly productive, but COLD weekend

V and I are hanging sans hubby today. It's still somehow crazy busy in the house. We've managed to play outside, harvest basil, do laundry, go shopping, and make chicken salad and chicken stock out of roasted chicken leftovers. I could've titled this post the miraculous journey of one batch of chicken stock, but it's not all gone so the future is unknown for the remains.  The pot was like a Mary Poppin's carpet bag. The chicken stock then made went its separate ways some into the freezer, some into a batch of Butternut Soup (relish, but not as good as the hubs version), and some into a pot of collards. I "put away" several ears of corn after being inspired by Vivian on A Chef's Life. Now with a batch of Southern Style Lima Beans in the crock pot and cornbread on the to do list, we are basically turning into a Kountry Kitchen around here!
Feels good to use things up. Really good.
Alls that's left to do now is daydream about a compost pile.

Check out this plan:
http://thewannabehomesteader.com/how-to-build-an-easy-compost-bin-with-no-power-tools/


Southern Limas in Crock Pot:

-Lima Beans (1 bag, I buy in bulk from Whole Foods and like the REALLY large ones) soak them for about 6-8 hours before hand
- water/stock
- 1 tsp cajun seasoning
- 1/2 tsp. onion powder
- 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp. other random seasoning you need to use (this time is was thyme, last time it was italian flakes)
- few dashes of red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 smoked turkey neck (ham hock works too)

Soak limas. Add them to the crock pot and add water/stock to cover them. Add smoked turkey neck. Add seasoning and stir.  Cook on low overnight, checking to make sure water is in the crock pot every now and again.

YUM!
*Gotta give credit to a fellow teacher for my own adaptation of these. She brought them to a pot luck and I've been hooked ever since!*