Monday, December 1, 2008

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

22 comments:

Freak Magnet said...

Although I imagine that Winters are very harsh in Maine, I have to tell you that I totally envy that beautiful snow! Here in Washington we don't get too much of it. Your pumpkin seeds look great! I had never thought of putting olive oil on them. I bet that crisps them up beautifully! Happy Winter to you!

Welcome To Wilmoth Farms said...

Brrrr I'm a winter-whiner! Must confess! LOL All that wonderful cooking sounds awesome! GOOD for you! I must 'learn to cook' one day! All those treats sound yummy!
Send me your email if you want to be added to my readers, I made my blog private.wilmothfarms@windstream.net

citygirl said...

Each year I anticipate the snowfall and hope that some of it lands in Bar Harbor! Why? Because I want an opportunity to snowshoe the carriage trails! This will be the year!

Jodi said...

I must admit - I'm looking forward to the snow quite a bit this year. It's going to be a lot of fun with a toddler, I think.
There was already a couple of inches on the ground in Northern Maine when we were there last weekend (poor Monkey didn't know what to make of it - lol).
Isn't cooking from scratch so rewarding?

Anonymous said...

Here ya go kim. http://childreninthecorn.blogspot.com/2007/09/pumpkin-puree.html

You finally caught up with us Michiganders and got yourself some snow, 'eh? :) glad you're enjoying your forays into cooking from scratch!! :)

Erica said...

I love the snow, we don't have much yet :)

And I'm glad your enjoying cooking more, the more you do the more confidence you get and it IS fun. Thanks for mentioning me, haha, I'm glad you could get some tips from it!

So funny you mentioned a 3 bean casserole also. I'm making a calico bean bake this weekend, which is probably very similar lol!r

Anonymous said...

I don't envy your snow but I love the look of the soup you show! Wow that looks great! I know you didn't ask me but we cook cushaw squash at 350 for 30-45 minutes. It's a winter squash so should be about like other squash or pumpkin

Country Girl said...

FM, WINTERS CAN BE ROUGH HERE BUT I AM USE TO IT. IT'S ALL I KNOW. HAPPY WINTER TO YOU TOO.

KY, MY E-MAIL IS ACHORNFARMER@YAHOO.COM
THANKS FOR INVITING ME OVER, I THINK I'VE TRIED TO GET ON YOUR BLOG IN THE PAST.

CITY GIRL, CAN YOU BELIEVE I'VE NEVER BEEN TO BAR HARBOR? I LIKE HOW YOU FINALLY GOT A PICTURE UP...WHEN'S THE BLOG COMING?

FARM MOM, THANKS FOR THE LINK!


JODI, I ALWAYS LOOK FORWARD TO IT TOO BUT COME MARCH I'VE USUALLY HAD IT. I AGREE WITH YOU COOKING FROM SCRATCH.

NO PROBLEM ERICA, I ENJOY YOUR BLOG. THERE IS SO MUCH TO LEARN FROM OTHERS. ARE YOU GOING TO POST THAT RECIPE?

WARREN, THAT WAS JUST THE BROTH SIMMERING...SOON TO BE SOUP. I'VE READ ABOUT THAT SQUASH YOU COOK UP.

Joanna@BooneDocksWilcox said...

looks good,
I like food photo's :-)

citygirl said...

What am I going to write about on a daily basis that would interest anyone?

I did add the Wicked Awesome Parenting to my bookmarked sites tonight...she is funny!

Anonymous said...

We've had snow off and on here though as of October!

Amy said...

I'm having fun with cooking foods from scratch too. It tastes so much better doesn't it? This year I've learned to make my own pie crust, chicken pot pies, and that wonderful chicken broth you're talking about! I freeze mine in plastic storage bags, two cups per bag. It's great stuff!

Leasmom said...

Thats alot more snow than we have! I too am trying to cook more from scratch...it tastes better anyway.

Country Girl said...

THANKS JOANNA!

CITY GIRL I CAN THINK OF MANY THINGS YOU COULD WRITE ABOUT: YOUR NEW SOLAR SYSTEM, BUDGETING, CUTTING BACK ON GROCERY COSTS, SHARE RECIPES, WRITE ABOUT FAMILY VACATIONS, OUTINGS, TRANSFORMING AN IN TOWN BACK YARD INTO A GARDENERS PARADISE, FOOD PRESERVATION, SHARE PHOTOS YOU TAKE, YOUR SWEET LITTLE DAUGHTER ~ IT IS FUN TO CONNECT WITH THE BLOGGING COMMUNITY AND YOUR OUT OF TOWN RELATIVES OFTEN ENJOY IT TOO. I HAVE HAD 3 NEARBY FRIENDS RECENTLY TELL ME HOW MUCH THEY LOVED READING MY BLOG AND CHECKED IN NEARLY EVERY DAY.YOUR A GOOD WRITER AND I THINK YOU WOULD ENJOY AND DO A GOOD JOB OF IT. MAKE IT A JOURNAL OF YOU LIFE - THAT IS WHAT I DO BUT MANY BLOGGERS TAKE A DIFFERENT APPROACH. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO POST EVERY DAY...ONCE OR TWICE A WEEK? WHATEVER WORKS FOR YOU. AT THE END OF THE YEAR I MAY PRINT MINE OFF AND PUT IT IN A BINDER FOR MY KIDS TO HAVE SOME DAY WHEN I AM NO LONGER HERE IN CASE SOMETHING EVERY HAPPENS WITH MY ON-LINE BLOG. IT WILL BE GOOD MEMORIES OF ALL THE COOL STUFF WE DO HERE AND A WAY OF KNOWING WHAT KIND OF PERSON I WAS IF I DIE PREMATURELY?? HOPE THAT'S NOT THE CASE CAUSE I HAVE A LOT MORE THINGS I WANT TO DO FIRST AND OF COURSE I WANT TO SEE MY KIDS GROW UP. IT IS ALSO A GOOD STORAGE PLACE FOR RECIPES ETC. I AM CONSTANTLY PULLING UP PREVIOUS POSTS. FOR EX MY LAUNDRY DETERGENT POST. SORRY CITY GIRL HEE, HEE, I KINDA WENT OFF, ENOUGH OF MY SOAP BOX. LOVE YA CITY GIRL!

AMY, THAT IS COOL, OURS HAS ALREADY MELTED.

AMY, I HAVE NOTICED YOU HAVE BEEN BETTY CROCKER OVER THERE WITH YOUR NEW IMMERSION BLENDER AND BREAD MACHINE. YOUR BOYS AND HUBBY MUST BE LOVING IT! PIE CRUST IS A NEXT FOR ME.

Jen - Queen of Poo said...

Now that's the way to make the best of things in the Winter! That soup looks YUMMY! I used to love snowmobiling when I was a kid. We don't get a lot of snow (which makes me glad) but if we did, I think I'd have to have a snowmobile.

Thanks for visiting my blog and for the nice comment!

Mandie said...

Kim, I am a total idiot!! I don't have an email from you, BUT that doesn't mean it didn't go through. Please send another one, I promise I will get it this time. mandie2281@yahoo.com

Anonymous said...

Bless you! You are one of those "Yum-Yum" ladies who post images of things that look sooooo tasty!!

citygirl said...

Alright, maybe you have a point or 6,000. :) Perhaps you can walk me through setting up a blog site? I am not so savvy with these here compu-tahs!

Country Girl said...

Jen,
I couldn't help but check your blog out especially with your titles and all. LOL! You have some good stuff!

Mandie, I sent it off again. Don't feel bad I am still waiting to hear from Sarah.

CR, thanks, your funny.

CG, no pressure. Can you tell I was the peer pressure queen in HS. Some things never change. Well... except I am not trying to talk you into another shot or something.

Country Girl said...

PF, All our snow is gone :(
I am sure there will be more on the way sooner than later. Yes homemade tastes better for sure!

Welcome To Wilmoth Farms said...

You made soap!!!! Isn't it the most fun!!!! You'll have to email me and tell me how you made it!! We'll compare notes!!!! Its so much fun to create something and then use it isnt it!!!!??? I'm glad you made some! Excited for you!

Robbyn said...

Yum!! Hey, we have kindred stock pots simmering, woo! I've gotten where I'm doing that several days a week now,and boy do I love the soups it goes into...SO much better than the stuff from cans :) We cook our calabaza, which is sort of a pumpkin and squash, in rich turkey stock with garlic, spices, onion, celery, green bananas sliced thin (or green plantain), potatoes, sweet potatoes and some sofrito. Cooked till soft, it's wonderful with some chopped turkey added in. Your creations sound wonderful and I know they make for a warm and fragrant house after all that playing in the snow!