There are certain items to purchase during the month of January. You may have read my post last week on Preparing For Christmas? Now?
Preparing for Christmas?
Besides everything Christmas such as wrapping paper, holiday trimmings and ornaments, January is a good time to stock up on calendars, planners and date books. They are available and usually at rock bottom prices. Are you looking for a new TV? Televisions are priced lowest during the two weeks prior to the Super Bowl. I guess they figure that folks want to watch the Super Bowl on a new television!
You can often find great deals on calendars in January.
January is also a good time to look for bargain prices on workout gear and fitness equipment to appeal to your New Year’s resolutions. Keep an eye out for bargain prices on gym memberships as well.
Do you have any home improvement projects in the near future? Check the prices on home improvement supplies, everything from carpeting to flooring can often be found at a good price during January.
January can be a good time to tackle home improvement projects.
Here in Vermont we have many months of winter left but the stores are getting ready for spring. Selection may be limited but winter clothing, coats and sweaters are good items to purchase now at sale prices. Believe it or not cashmere can often be on sale as well.
Just as there are items that can be found at goods prices in January there are also items not to buy this month! Don’t buy mattresses, it’s better to wait until February when there are often sales over the President’s Day holiday weekend. You might think it would be a god time to purchase grills and patio furniture however these items were cleared out in the fall so it is better to wait until Memorial Day for those sales. Don’t plan to buy your winter sports equipment either be patient and wait until the end of the season.
Winter is not the time to buy skis!
I’m not advocating spending money you don’t have but if you are looking to make purchases be aware of what is on sale and what is a good deal this month!
I miss the abundance of a summer garden. I love salad but sometimes I find it hard to be inspired in the middle of winter when fresh produce is hard to come by. Recently I made this green salad with dried fruits and a maple vinaigrette. Winter Salad with Maple Vinaigrette is just my kind of winter salad, simple and delicious!
Winter Salad with Maple Vinaigrette
Ingredients for Vinaigrette:
1½ cup olive oil
6 Tbsp maple syrup
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1-2 cloves garlic, finely minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions for Vinaigrette:
Combine the olive oil in a small bowl. Add the maple syrup and vinegar and stir with a whisk to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Ingredients for Salad:
1 head green lettuce, washed, dried and torn into bite size pieces
1 head red leaf lettuce, washed, dried and torn into bite size pieces
½ cup dried cranberries
½ cup dried apricots, slivered
½ cup coarsely chopped toasted walnuts
Directions for Salad:
Toss all the ingredients together in a large salad bowl or arrange each salad on a plate. Add vinaigrette and serve.
Serves 8
Just because it’s winter doesn’t mean you have to give up eating salad. Use apples, dried fruit and nuts to make an ordinary salad extraordinary.
Every January I place an order with Fedco Seeds. They are a great seed company located in Maine, which means the seeds they offer should do well in my Vermont garden. Before placing this year’s order I sort through my old seeds. Some seed varieties will last a couple of years while other seeds need to be purchased in order to have a viable seed.
Going through the old seeds.
Generally corn, leeks, onions, parsnips and spinach are short lived seeds lasting only 1-2 years. Check the date on your seed packets from last year and make sure they are still viable. Squash, pumpkins, peas, eggplant, parsley, beans, carrots and celery should last up to five years. The seeds that last the longest are broccoli, lettuce, cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, kale, tomatoes, cucumbers, melons, peppers and turnips.
Make sure your seeds are viable.
Before deciding what seeds to order plan your garden out for the whole year. If you are going to order seeds it is a good idea to order them all at once. That way you won’t run into a seed shortage in the middle of the growing season. For example if you wait until the summer to buy seeds for fall planting the varieties you want may not be available.
Evaluate what you planted last year. Did you enjoy the vegetables you grew? Did you plant too much zucchini? Instead of growing ten different varieties of tomatoes grow the ones that did well.
Plant what you enjoy to eat!
You can have a large harvest without investing in large quantities of seed. By spacing your plants further apart you may find you have a great yield than by planting more plants close together.
By spacing your plants you can have a more abundant yield.
It is also important to choose seed companies for your growing conditions. Find a company in your area that sell seeds that will thrive in your area. That is why I choose Fedco Seeds or Johnny’s Selected Seeds also located in Maine. Both companies offer a wide variety that will do well in my climate zone. By choosing the right seeds you will have a better chance at a wonderful garden harvest.
Choose the right seed company to order from for your climate zone.
You might look at the title of this blog and say “what?” However, now is the best time to review the holidays and make some notes as to what you would like to work on before next December arrives. Make a note of what worked and where you may have over spent. I actually have a Christmas notebook where I keep track of all gifts given and received. After the holidays I take a few moments to write down ideas I have for the next holiday. I find if it is written down and I can look at it through the year there is a better chance of it getting done! If you can work on a twelve-month plan you will find the holidays become less stressful and considerably more manageable financially.
My Christmas Book
Now is the time to purchase your wrapping paper, Christmas cards and ribbons at clearance prices. Buy discounted ornaments, decorations, dishes etc. You can use them yourself or save them for hostess or wedding gifts. Review your reward programs you belong to. If you collect points all year long you can cash them in for gift certificates and/or merchandise.
January is a good time to buy wrapping paper.
I have a gift box where I store items that I will use as gifts during the holidays. January can be a good time to buy sheets, towels and other linens. Who wouldn’t appreciate a Christmas gift of luxury linens like high thread count sheets or spa-sized towels with fancy lotions, bath salts or shower gels? Use your own homemade lotions for a really special gift. A good gift for children would be to wrap up some bubble bath and bath toys in a favorite character towel.
Please don’t spend money you don’t have, but by doing a little Christmas shopping each month you will find yourself in a much better position to enjoy the holidays in December.
I have a friend I’ve known since high school. We are opposite in many ways but we both love to cook! However we approach cooking quite differently. I tend to use a recipe at least the first couple of times to make it before I make some changes. Laur on the other hand grew up learning how to cook from her grandmother and knows exactly what foods and spices will go together. I’m usually the one writing down her creations so I can try it again later. I’ve never had a meal prepared by Laur that wasn’t absolutely delicious! This delicious Pasta Puttanesca with Chicken was such an example.
Recently Laur and her daughter spent New Year’s Eve with our family. They decided to stay a few extra hours and prepare dinner for us on New Year’s Day. This is where having a well-stocked pantry comes in hand. Laur looked through my pantry, asked if I had certain items and created this version of Pasta Puttanesca with Chicken. It was delicious! Hopefully I wrote the recipe down correctly because I want to share it with you! Everything in the recipe I had on hand either in my pantry or freezer! Talk about eating well from your pantry!
Pasta Puttanesca with Chicken
Ingredients:
Thin spaghetti, cooked until al dente
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
4-6 cloves garlic, chopped
3 small onions chopped
8 black olives, halved
3 Tbsp capers
1 can artichoke hearts, chopped
½ small jar of sliced pepper rings
1 can canellini beans drained
½ cup chopped orange peppers
2 lg. cans of whole tomatoes, drained and chopped
1 Tbsp fresh parsley
½ tsp pepper
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp powdered oregano
1 ½ cup flour
3 eggs
¼ cup freshly ground asiago cheese
6 small chicken breasts, boned and cut into chunks
Directions:
Combine the parsley, pepper, salt and flour. In a separate bowl combine the eggs and asiago cheese. Dredge the chicken in the flour and then in the egg mixture. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan and sauté the chicken until lightly browned, set aside.
Heat a large pan over medium heat and add the oil garlic and onions. Sauté until the onions are tender.
Add the olives, capers, peppers and tomatoes. Bring sauce to a bubble, reduce heat and simmer just for 8 minutes.
Place the pasta in a large bowl, top with cooked chicken and sauce. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese and serve.
I never knew it but this sauce is named for the ladies of the night. They would place pots of it in their windows to tempt men into the bordellos. I loved it because it was so fast and easy to make and a bit spicy, a change from the normal Italian spaghetti sauce I make.
Recently I received a sample of Tropical Traditions Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil to review. I started using coconut oil about a year ago and before that time I’m not even sure I knew what it was! After doing some research I discovered there are hundreds of uses for coconut oil with multiple ways to incorporate it into a healthy diet.
After reading more about coconut oil in various blogs I discovered it was also used in making hand lotions. Coconut oil is an edible oil extracted from the kernel or meat of matured coconuts harvested from the coconut palm. Apparently it has been a part of diets of many throughout the tropical world. It is very heat stable, which makes it suited to methods of cooking at high temperatures like frying. It is a good item to have in your pantry because it is slow to oxidize and, thus resistant to rancidity, lasting up to two years due to its high saturated fat content. I was interested in using it with our own beeswax to make a hand lotion. Here is the recipe I used.
Fill the bottom of a double boiler with water and bring to a boil. In the top, combine the coconut oil, almond oil and beeswax. Stir to combine.
Remove from heat and stir in the essential oils. Pour into a heat proof container and allow to cool completely before closing. Makes about 3.5 ounces.
Finished Hand Cream
You can also use coconut oil in frying, baking, for dips, to make your own salad dressing. After searching on the website FreeCoconutRecipes.com, I found recipes for cookies, piecrust, brownies and chocolate cake! Plus many more recipes.
To learn more ways to use coconut oil visit this website freecoconutrecipes.com. There are numerous recipes listed from Sweet Potato Latkes to Gluten Free Bread.
I am interested in using it in soap making. It can be used as one of the fats in soap. Coconut oil is solid when you purchase it. It has a high melting point (76-78 Fahrenheit) therefore it is solid at room temperature and melts only when the temperatures are high.
If you are using the coconut oil for topical purposes, especially hair care, just melt the oil by keeping the bottle in the sun or warm water. If you want to use it for internal consumption, simply replace butter or vegetable oils with coconut oil in your recipes. Coconut oil is also wonderful for the skin.
I have purchased several different brands of coconut oil but I have to say that the Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil is the real thing! I had excellent results using in the hand lotion I made and look forward to using it again. Coconut oil is a valuable resource and something that I will keep stocked in my pantry!
Tropical Traditions is America’s source for coconut oil. Their Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil is hand crafted in small batches by family producers, and it is the highest quality coconut oil they offer. You can read more about how virgin coconut oil is different from other coconut oils on their website: What is Virgin Coconut Oil?
Tropical Traditions also carries other varieties of affordable high quality coconut oil. Visit their website to check on current sales, to learn about the many uses of coconut oil, and to read about all the advantages of buying coconut oil online. Since the FDA does not want us to discuss the health benefits of coconut oil on a page where it is being sold or given away, here is the best website to read about the health benefits of coconut oil.
Disclaimer: Tropical Traditions provided me with a free sample of this product to review, and I was under no obligation to review it if I so chose. Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review or sponsor a product giveaway in return for the free product. If you order by clicking on any of my links and have never ordered from Tropical Traditions in the past, you will receive a free book on Virgin Coconut Oil, and I will receive a discount coupon for referring you.
Hard to believe that the gardening year has made a full cycle. Once again it is almost time to browse through the gardening catalogs and plan my 2013 garden! Winter is always a good time to review your past garden and plan your changes for the next season. Did your garden work where it was planted? Are there any trees that need to be taken down to provide more sun? Was the size appropriate for what you planted? I enjoy this quiet time of year for the gardening season; it’s a good time to reflect on your successes and failures of the past year in the garden.
Time to reflect on your past gardening year.
This year we doubled the size of our garden and then had a very busy summer. It was almost impossible to keep the weeds under control. To top it off we had a very dry summer and the new bed was quite a distance from the water source and I couldn’t water it enough. Will I cut back next year? Probably not, but I will make a better effort to get the garden weeded and mulched at the beginning of the season. This will help keep the weeds under control and help retain moisture in the soil.
My Dream Garden
As we move toward the spring it will be time to start your seeds. By starting your own seeds you have a much better variety to choose from.
Start your own seeds for a better variety.
Don’t forget to have a soil test done so you can understand just what your garden needs to thrive. Before the gardening season starts we also empty our compost bins into the garden so the compost will be incorporated into the soil before the planting begins.
Our chickens enjoy scratching through the compost.
By summer the garden is fully established and keeping ahead of the weeds can be a major chore. Keeping the garden mulched is key to keeping the weeds at bay. They are various mulches that you can use depending on the plants. For example strawberries do wonderfully with a mulch of straw whereas blueberries prefer wood chips.
Fall is my favorite time of year, as the busy gardening season wraps up I can devote my time to harvesting and preserving my harvest. I use various methods to assure that I have an abundance of fruits and vegetables to get us through the winter. Freezing, dehydrating and canning (both with a pressure canner and a water bath) are all fine methods to preserve your harvest.
Fall is my favorite time of year.
As you enjoy this quiet time of year take time to read through the various issues of the Prudent Living Magazine, including the winter issue which was just released. There you will find an abundance of information relating not only to your garden but to your home as well.
As promised I will share my Killer Brownie recipe from my husband’s family. I have made a little addition and now call these brownies Candy Cane Brownies.
I have to admit I am a recipe collector! I not only have numerous cookbooks but I also have several recipe boxes full of recipes I’ve collected over the years. The first recipe I asked for was in grade school, I asked my best friend’s mother for her macaroni and cheese recipe. It was something I don’t remember my mother making and I thought it was delicious! Since then my collection has grown. I’ve mentioned before the collection of family recipes that my mother-in-law gave me when I was engaged.
Well loved recipe collection.
It is a wonderful collection of delicious and well-loved recipes. When my grandmother-in-law passed away I inherited her recipe box. What a treasure, this brownie recipe originated from the recipe box but was also passed along in the collection of recipes from my mother-in-law. I will pass it along to you.
Killer or Candy Cane Brownies
Ingredients:
2 eggs
1 cup of sugar
½ cup butter
2 squares of Bakers Chocolate (semi-sweet)
½ cup flour
½ tsp baking powder
Pinch of salt
½ tsp vanilla
Directions:
Melt the butter and chocolate over hot water. In a bowl, beat the eggs till light add the sugar and continue to beat. Add chocolate mixture, then flour, baking powder and salt. Then add vanilla. Spread in a 8×8 pan and bake 325 for 25 minutes or until done. I’ve also baked this recipe in a pie pan for brownie pie.
I then made a basic cream cheese frosting and spread it over the brownies (I doubled the recipe for the brownies).
Once the frosting was spread I sprinkled on some crushed candy canes. What a delicious treat!
I also made some Peppermint Sauce to serve on ice cream.
Peppermint Sauce
Ingredients:
1 ½ cups crushed peppermint candy canes
¾ cup heavy whipping cream
1 jar (7 ounces) marshmallow crème (fluff)
Directions:
In a large saucepan, combine all ingredients.
Cook over medium-low heat until the mixture is smooth and the candy is melted, stirring occasionally. (I left some of the candy bits un-melted)
Pour into an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator. Serve warm over ice cream or cake. Makes three cups.
Barley is another staple I like to keep in my pantry.
A mixture of white and purple barley.
According to Wikipedia barley is a versatile cereal grain. It serves as a major animal fodder, as a base for malt for beer and certain distilled beverages and as a component of various health foods. It is also used in soups and stews and can even be used in bread! There are two kinds of barley, two row and six row. Two row barley has a lower protein content. I love adding barley to soups and stews. Pearl barley refers to covered barley that has been processed to remove the tough inedible outer hull and then pearled or polished. Barley may be pearled to varying degrees and labeled as regular, fine or pearl. Pearl barley is available in several forms; however, kernels or berries are the most common. Pearl barley may also be purchased flaked, cut or ground. It has a rich nutlike flavor and an appealing chewy, pasta-like consistency. Its appearance resembles wheat berries. Barley’s claim to nutritional fame is based on its being a very good source of fiber and selenium, and a good source of phosphorus, copper and manganese.
Storing barley is very easy. Pearled barley can be kept at room temperature for a longer time since most of the oils which could go rancid have already been removed. It should be stored in an airtight container in a cool, dry place, in warmer months it should be stored in the refrigerator or freezer. If refrigerated or frozen in an airtight container, raw/uncooked badly may be stored for about 6 months.
I adapted this recipe from one I found on the TasteOfHome.com website. It makes a nice big pot of soup and freezes well. Perfect for those cold winter nights. Make a salad to go with it and you’ll have a complete meal!
Cobb Hill Barley Soup
1 pound chicken or turkey Italian sausage 1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, sliced
4 cans (14-½ ounces each) reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 cans (15 ounces each) pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (14-½ ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 cup medium pearl barley
1 large carrot, sliced
1 celery rib, sliced
1 teaspoon minced fresh sage
1/8 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
6 cups chopped fresh kale
In a Dutch oven, cook sausage and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Drain. Stir in the broth, beans, tomatoes, barley, carrot, celery, sage and rosemary. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 45 minutes. Stir in kale; return to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 25-30 minutes or until vegetables are tender and kale is wilted.
January is not a time to be working in the garden in Vermont but it is a time to be planning next years garden. One of my favorite occupations in the winter is to sit by the woodstove and read through the new garden catalogs! Some of them have the best copywriters and can convince me to try many new varieties of vegetables.
My two favorite seed catalogs.
I usually order the majority of my seeds through the Fedco catalog. Not only do they have excellent prices but also since I order through our local coop I get an additional discount. You really can’t beat it! Fedco is not a fancy catalog, it is printed on what feels like newsprint, and is back and white, so no beautiful glossy photos to look at. They do have very good descriptions of their seeds and clearly explain whether or not a seed packet is heirloom or organic.
Fedco catalog has great descriptions and illustrations.
Usually I have another catalog that does have the beautiful pictures to look up products if I’m not sure I want to order them or not. My other favorite catalog is Johnny’s Seeds, which is based in Maine.
Johnny’s Seeds is another wonderful catalog.
I start most of my vegetable plants from seed and by the end of February I usually have quite a little garden going in our kitchen. In addition to a couple of grow lights I have lots of windows in the kitchen so I can give my plants a good start.
For now I just have to decide what I want to plant this year in addition to the regular vegetables! Starting your own seeds is a worthwhile investment. You have a much better selection of plants to choose from and you can also grown some wonderful heirloom plants that are hard to find in the local nurseries!
Do you plan to have a vegetable garden this year? If so, will you be starting your own seeds or picking up plants at the local garden center?
Nancy on the Home Front 