Winter Wonderland

Today was the first official snow fall in my little town in Maine. We have had a few flurries but nothing that stuck to the ground. I enjoy all the seasons but winter like many can be tough at times. To keep those winter blues away I vow to make the best of it and get out. We will ice skate on the pond once it is safe. We will get out onto freshly packed powder with our cross country skis and my hiking boots & I will hit the trail on a regular basis! Fortunately, the main snowmobile trail goes right through our property so I have access to acres and acres of packed trails. No excuse not to get out unless it is below 0! There is no sense in whining because it is here to stay.





This winter I will also make lots of goodies in the kitchen. I have been making broth with any chicken or turkey bones I have remaining. I use it up mostly in soups but I plan to try it in rice. Until a few months back I had NEVER made it. To me broth came from a can at the store. When I first started making it I always cooked it on the stove top but now I cook it overnight in my crock pot. That idea came from Erica's 3 part series about "Making the Most of a Chicken". She is over at One Busy Momma and she is just that with lots of clever ideas.




I am trying to make more and more foods from scratch and I must admit (except for the dishes) I am having a good time doing it and I am learning lots along the way.



We have had a few batches of squash and pumpkin seeds. I mix them up with sea salt and olive oil and cook them up on a cookie sheet.



I have cooked up several pumpkins and squash since reading about how to cook it up over at Angie's blog . Here is the post if you want to check it out. I have made up a couple of batches of pumpkin chocolate chip muffins and for Thanksgiving I made a yummy squash pie. I might attempt to make up a squash soup unless any of you have any suggestions for something better.
I am also in search for some bean recipes. I recently had a three bean casserole that was to die for. If any of you have some good bean recipes on your blogs please direct me.

~Sweat Dreams ~ Kim