Pasta Salad

Today for lunch I was looking for something a little different. We decided to make a pasta salad. It has a package of mac n cheese noodles (cooked according to directions) half a package of cheese mix, 2 pieces of bacon, and a whole can of diced tomatoes (drained). If I had a sweet onion I would have added it.

For dinner I made Baked Beans for hubby and Wesley. I browned a half pound of hamburger meat, an onion, and four pieces of bacon. I drained off the grease. I added two 16 oz cans of bake beans. I then let it simmer adding water every once in a while until it was cooked all the way thru. I cooked it on the wood heater in a cast iron skillet. Wesley called it his favorite stew. He loves bake beans and hamburger so I put them together.

Here is where I need your help. I won a free coupon for King Hawaiian bread today. What is your favorite sandwich made out of this wonderful bread. I want to do a recipe when I get it and I will feature your ideas. So when you leave a comment please make sure you leave your blog address too so I can link to it along with your ideas.

Meatless Monday

Tonight dinner was for Meatless Monday. We had fried potato's, black eyed peas, tomatoes and okra (For Hubby because he wont eat anything with Lima beans in it,) and Succotash. (Corn,Tomatoes, and Butter beans)

It was all cooked on the wood heater again. The only thing in the oven was corn bread. While it will cook on the wood heater it is much better in the oven to me.

There is a reason (or two) we have one meatless day a week at least.. It is better for your health, the environment, and the budget. The only one that complains is Smokie and he will eat green beans and potatoes.

Here is a blog that promotes Meatless Monday. Stop by and check them out. http://midnightmaniac.com/post2583  Midnight Maniac

Cooking Over the Wood Heater

With Electric bills going up along with everything else we have decided to do most of our cooking on our wood heater. We heat the house with wood that has fallen, been cut by others due to housing issues, or that have been pushed down by the farmer around us.

Hubby was cooking out side over wood heat until it got about 20 degrees out side. Then we just took off the top of our wood heater and used the fire box to cook with. You can boil food if you cover the pots. Hubby fries chicken on it. I have not seen to much it can't do.

 Here is the picture of the wood box. The top of the stove is up against the wall behind the stove.

 Here is the front view. The wood door and the ash pan door.

 Here is a grille cheese sandwich that I made on it. I use my regular cook ware on it. But you have to be careful about the handles getting hot. Always use a hot pad before picking up any pans.

Here is hubby's dinner cooking. He uses cast iron to cook beans, stews, and fry food.  There is chicken frying under the cast iron skillet lid, The other three pots are Allen's Green Beans with potatoes, potatoes and tea. I made gravy for dinner on here too. We are working on a box to go on top to bake in.

We cut our electric bill while everyone else went up $100 to $200.  We have been heating with free wood and not turning on the electric stove at all unless it is to bake bread.

We passed on our idea to my friend over at Reduce Foot Prints. She does the Change The World Wednesday challenge. She post a small project each Wednesday that if everyone would get on board it would make a big impact.

We are working on a solar oven. Hubby built it today but it clouded up and there is snow in the forecast for the next week. We hope to test it soon and I will post pics and results.

Do you have any different ways to cook with out electricity that you would like to share? Please feel free to leave your comments.

Baked Chicken and Vegetables

Today is supposed to be Wordless Wednesday but since I still don't have a working camera it is my Pictureless Wednesday. :) 

Tonight Rebekka fixed Baked Chicken and Vegetables. She takes a 9 x 13 pan and layers it with vegetables. Tonight she had potatoes on bottom, green beans and corn. She then puts a little oil on top of them and salt and pepper. She then places Chicken on top to bake. We then cover it with foil and cook it until the vegetables are tender. We remove the foil and brown the chicken. Then we serve.

We have put pork chops, and country ham on top. My favorite is the country ham slices. It gives a great flavor to every thing in the pan.

Homemade Spaghetti and MMeatballs

Today while the children were gone to Church I decided to make Spaghetti and meatballs for dinner. It took all day because I slow cooked the sauce. The meatballs did not take long at all. My camera decided not to work so I did not get to get a good picture. :(

The sauce:
1 Jar of your favorite spaghetti sauce
2 cans of diced tomatoes with juice
one medium diced onion
Italian seasoning, salt and pepper to taste
1 shot glass of whiskey
water as needed

I added about a jar full of water to begin with. I slowly reduced this over medium low heat for hours. I stirred it frequently. The Whiskey gave it an awesome taste.

The meatballs:
1lb ground pork
1lb hamburger
1 medium onion diced
1 egg beaten
8 crackers- crushed
salt and pepper to taste

I made them about the size between marbles and golf balls. I then fried them on all sides in the skillet. I dropped them into the sauce and simmered while the noodles were cooking.

I made phyllo dough bread sticks as I had some left I needed to use. Wesley decided he did not like eating edible paper. (Yes he swore up and down that I just wrapped paper together and browned it.)

Bean Cakes

Since every one eats Black Eyed Peas for New Years I thought I would share this great way to use the left overs. Hubby's Grandmother use to make these with any kind of beans she had left over.

Left over Black eyed peas and juice
One small diced onion
Sage, salt and pepper to taste
Enough flour to make them hold together when fried. (This can not be put as a certain measurement because it depends on the amount of liquid in the peas.)

I mix it together until it forms a kind of thick paste. I then fry them in a skillet in a little oil until brown on both sides.

If you use different beans I would try different kinds of spices. I love these the next day as bean cake sandwiches.

Happy New Years

Happy New Years everyone. I hope it was a great one for everyone.

On New Years you are supposed to eat hog jaw, black eyed peas, and turnip greens. That is exactly what we had for dinner tonight. Along with corn bread of course.

I fix my turnip greens (when I find them fresh) in the southern way. I wash them and make sure there is no grit on them. I then boil them in water until they get limp and the water turns green. I drain off the water and put the turnip greens back in the pot. I cover the with broth. (Chicken or Vegetable) I then add smoked pork to them. (either bacon or hog jaw) You can add liquid smoke in them if you are Vegetarian. I have seen people add smoked turkey legs. I then cook them down until they basically fall apart.

After the turnip greens are gone I use the pot liquor in soups. If you have a cold it is great heated up with crushed red pepper and a little crushed garlic in it.