Well hello Monday, you’re looking beautiful so far. 😉
All I want to do this week is dye wool and bake cookies. That sounds like a good plan, don’t you think? As much as I love gardening, it’s so nice to feel like I can finally have a proper time out and not have to worry about the outside until spring. Or at least until late January when I’ll need to start a few seeds under grow lights {or in the case of lavender, the refrigerator}.
When we first moved here, I thought for sure that I would build a row of vegetable garden boxes across the backyard. But now I’m not so sure. Yes to the raised beds of course, but the more and more we’ve worked in the yard tidying up {moving a giant pile of wood and then bricks, trimming bushes and trees, planting a boxwood hedge, a row of peonies and then planting 900 bulbs etc.} I’ve decided to wait to make any plans for the backyard.
Loaf of the Week: Potato and Rosemary $7.00
Waiting until there is a nice blanket of snow covering the backyard seems like a good idea, don’t you think? A sort of blank canvas if you will. For some reason, to me at least, it’s much easier to imagine what a garden could be with an even layer of white over it than with grass {and someone else’s plants} exposing itself to you.
But enough about the garden. Let’s talk about food.
As I was looking over the photos I took last week I noticed a pattern. Everything we ate was a comfort food. Stir fry chicken, boxed mac and cheese {I’m think I’m good on that one for a year} homemade cookies and scones.
I used the leftover juices and bits of meat from the Mississippi Pot Roast from last week and added spinach to make a simple soup. If you haven’t already made the Mississippi pot roast yet, WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? I’m not sure what I like better, the pot roast itself, or the leftovers.
A lasagna that lasted for 2 days.
Roasted butternut squash. I like to toss mine in a little olive oil, salt and pepper and thyme. How do you make yours?
Hannaford $11.52
On the baking list for this week: a new recipe for white chocolate biscotti with macadamia nuts, and I’ll be trying another new biscotti recipe with dates as well. Also, a new creamy tomato soup recipe and a pumpkin coffee cake.
Baking season, it’s here and I plan to welcome it with open arms.
How about you? What’s baking in your oven these days? Have you tried any new recipes lately that you absolutely love? Curious minds want to know.
~Mavis
Total Spent on Groceries last week $18.52
- Total Spent on Groceries in November $147.11
- Total Spent on Groceries in October $218.59
- Total Spent on Groceries in September $249.15
- Total Spent on Groceries in August $253.38
- Total Spent on Groceries in July $300.74
- Total Spent on Groceries in June $259.12
- Total Spent on Groceries in May $262.39 {More meat!}
- Total Spent on Groceries in April $284.56 {My husband bought a smoker and a BUNCH of meat!}
- Total Spent on Groceries in March $321.69
- Total Spent on Groceries in February $220.92
- Total Spent in January on Groceries $41.19
- Total Spent So Far on Groceries in 2019 $2569.84
You can go HERE to read more Shopping Trip Stories
Mel says
I sometimes do olive oil, salt, and pepper on roasted butternut, but I’ve been doing brown sugar and cinnamon lately.
This reminds me that I have an old family recipe for pumpkin streusel coffee cake that I haven’t made in years. I should make it soon. I made three loaves of cinnamon swirl bread and 6 pints of apple butter yesterday, so I may have to wait a few days first.
We’ve been having a blast using up veggies in our weekly CSA. Tonight I’m trying a chicken, broccoli, and mushroom casserole with the broccoli and mushrooms we got.
Lisa says
My 13 yo son’s current career goal is to be a chef, so we’ve been trying to expand his skills. Lately we’ve been making homemade bread. Last night we made chicken noodle soup to go along with the freshly made bread. I finally got around to doing some meal planning this weekend, so we have meals set for the entire week he can help with. Last time we had made the bread, I didn’t supervise the actual placing of the pans in the stove and he discovered why you move the oven rack from the top down to the middle.
The recipe we use for bread is from the gingham checked Better Homes & Garden cookbook that my mom got when she was first married in the late 60’s.
Katie says
Do you have a recipe for those scones? They look delicious.
Mavis Butterfield says
Yes! I will be posting the recipe tomorrow. They are crazy good.
Dawn Newark says
Patiently waiting for those beautiful scones!!!!!
Mavis Butterfield says
Here’s the link: https://www.onehundreddollarsamonth.com/cheddar-and-chive-scones/
Wyoming Gal says
I have been doing autumn baking for community events and church events. So far I baked golden walnut pumpkin loaf (with cornmeal, sultanas and cardamom), apple crisp with an oatmeal topping, oatmeal/craisin cookies, Queen’s Cake, a rich pound cake made by the Raleigh Bakery in Colonial Williamsburg and pumpkin pudding. I also made no bake cookies (the standard cocoa, peanut butter and oatmeal) and microwave peanut brittle (Mavis’ recipe, maybe, with cinnamon?). I am planning to make buckeyes (the favorite candy of Ohio and I am from Ohio), molasses cookies (chewy? or crinkles?), browned butter chocolate chip bars, date cookies (anyone have a great recipe? I don’t want to make the date roll type since that is an awful lot of work) and maybe some chocolate peanut butter bars.
Wyoming Gal says
Oh I also made Soul Cakes for All Hallow’s Eve (Halloween) and All Soul’s (Nov. 1.). These are a spicy shortbread type cookie given on Halloween to keep the wandering souls happy. Actually soul cakes can be a wide variety of things from cookie like to muffin like to more like shortbread. Here is one recipe similar to the one I used: tps://simplyinspiredmeals.com/halloween-soul-cakes/
Carolyn says
Longing to bake. My kitchen revo is almost done and then I will be a baking fiend. First on my list is bread. Then pies for Thanksgiving.
Marcy says
Have you tried Pumkin Butter? Oh my its yummy me and my daughters are going to make some this week from their leftover pumpkins . Happy Fall everyone !!
Elle says
I’m curious…do you count all the costs of growing your own produce in your food costs? I do: seeds, potting soil, plant starts, compost and it’s delivery. We also do a CSA to support local farmers and get foods we don’t grow.
I’m also curious how you store your harvest for the winter months?
I’ve only discovered your blog recently so I suspect all this information is here somewhere. I will spend some time searching for it.
Tracy says
Gawd, boxed Mac and Cheese? That stuff isn’t even real food! Petroleum products and flour. Ick. Make the real stuff!
Wynne says
I like Parmesan and minced fresh sage on roasted butternut squash. I hope you’ll post biscotti recipes! I have an old favorite from the Washington Post (dried cranberry, ginger, and white chocolate) but I would love another good biscotti recipe.
Jennifer says
I was wondering where you got macadamia nuts and how much you paid for them
Thel says
I’m trying out fermentation with peppers and green cherry tomatoes. Will try cabbage next week. The latest expeiment is making my own sourdough starter and breads. I have made a couple of nice loaves of bread…trying a new sourdough focaccia recipe.
Thel says
Oh Mavis, this is another new recipe I made and love , just read about your Jam making so you might be interested check this out https://food52.com/recipes/31797-apple-pear-and-lemon-thyme-preserves.