Good Winter Food

Yummy.

Who says you can’t eat local in December? Not I said the ant who worked very hard during the summer months storing up food for the long cold winter.

It became winter officially this weekend with out first real snowfall. It’s beautiful with all the spruce trees holding up the snowflakes, at least until the wind blows. Fortunately for us, it has not.

We received a gift of fresh baked bread this weekend. Since I worked on Friday evening and Saturday, I ate out – something that I do not like to do for long periods of time. So even though I was a bit tired on Sunday, I had to have some real food. So I made a wonderful beef stew – with the exception of the spices and a can of Campbells, it was all local ingredients… served with locally made bread.

I browned some chunks of round steak – from a beef raised near Oakes on the Wagner farm. Then, I added some onion and garlic, oh and celery. I did not raise the celery, so I guess that makes two ingredients in addition to the spices. But, it was leftover from Thanksgiving’s relish tray, so it was prudent to use it.

Next came a jar of home-canned tomatoes and a can of Cream of Mushroom Soup; some salt and pepper, a dash or two of Worcheshire Sauce and half a pint of mean-green tomato relish – simmer a bit and move that to a large casserole dish. Then I added carrots and potatoes to the mix and placed it in the oven for two hours at 350 degrees. It was delightful and the perfect supper paired with bread and butter and a fire in the fireplace.

All my mittens and hats are gone, donated and given away, I’m on a quest to clean out my stash and get more things done for a potential show or two next summer. I’m working on an idea for a funky spring scarf idea and hat for my husband who claims I do not make him anything. Truth be told, he never wears the socks, mittens or hats I have made him over the years… so I quit doing that… but I’m trying again. I may get it right this time.

I emptied my shelves and restocked them, just to see what is hidden there. I have a treasure trove of wonderful fiber and not enough time to create. With that being said, it’s off to what appears to be an incredible busy week. So I best be at it…Enjoy the wonderful winter weather. And, I have to mix up some cookie dough this afternoon, so I’m planning a “hands” video, keep an eye out for it.