This week’s Harvest Homekeeping ideas ……

Find yourself some pumpkins to decorate your front steps.  Pumpkins are getting pricey so conserve by using them to make pureed pumpkin later. Pureed pumpkin can be used for muffins, pancakes. pies, lattes and more.

We found red pumpkins this year! They get more red as they sit in the sun so ours will probably be very red by the end of the week.

Chrysanthemums are everywhere so try to pick up a couple to decorate with. If they are perennials, you can plant them after they flower for color next year.

Finish up your front porch with a wreath. Mine is a large grapevine wreath I found at a yard sale. I just wrapped a vine of silk fall leaves around it. With each season I change the decor on the wreath and use it year round.

Even the most humble entryway can be made colorful and welcoming with a little effort.

If you’re growing a garden, its about time to start cleaning it up  Mark brought in about 5 gallons of green tomatoes this week. I’ve been making relish and fermenting them with garlic and dill. Green tomatoes are good fried, too.  Here is my recipe:

Fried Green Tomatoes

Large green tomatoes, sliced about 1/2″ thick
Oil for frying
1/2 cup milk
2 eggs
black pepper to taste
cornmeal

Heat the oil til very hot.
Beat the eggs, pepper and milk together well. Dip each slice of tomato in the egg/milk mixture and then dredge in the cornmeal. Fry in hot oil til golden brown on both sides. Season with salt.

 

This week for Harvest Homekeeping I would like to show you how to make a three-tiered skirt. I also have a couple of recipes for you and I want to explain to you how to start a fire in a fireplace or outdoor fire pit.

The three-tiered skirt pictured is made from light weight spring or summer fabric. But this skirt can be adapted to heavier weight fabric like denim or even light corduroy. I’d like to work on a few for me and my girls in the coming weeks using heavy knits as well. Should be warm and comfy this Fall and Winter.

The first recipe I want to share with you is actually a method.

Its S’Mores made with Nutella! Spread one graham cracker with Nutella, roast a marshmallow and place it on the Nutella. Top with another graham cracker. We roast our marshmallows over the electric stove when we can’t get outside to start a fire. Just be sure you use a very long-handled fork!

Now, speaking of fires…. here’s a short primer on how to start a fire. You can use these principles in a fire place, fire pit or even a burn pile.

You’ll need:
Kindling – small pieces of dry grass, leaves, wood
Small Wood -  that is a little bigger than kindling, cut into pieces that are easy to handle.
Fuel Wood - It should be cut into pieces that are no bigger than the area you want your fire to take up. Wood should be dry and free of fungus or mold.

Clean off your fire area. Remove any trash, bits of wood and ash. Save the ash to put on your garden!

If you will have a large fire, you might want to surround the fire area with heavy rocks or blocks to keep the fire contained.

The basic idea is to get the kindling burning first and then add bigger and bigger pieces of wood until you are using your fuel wood.

1. Start the fire using matches or a lighter and your kindling (or you can get really primitive and use a flint and steel!). You’ll probably need more kindling than you think, especially if the wind is blowing or your kindling is a bit damp. You can even use paper for kindling. Make sure your kindling is very dry.

2. Once your kindling is burning,  gently add some larger piece of wood, keeping the fire going by shifting the wood pieces to keep air flowing through the fire. You can blow on it if you need to to get air to the fire.

There are some differences  on how to build the fuel wood around the burning kindling and starter wood. Some people build a tee pee. Some people build a square with the wood called a pyramid. Others build what is called a lean-to.And finally, there is a cross-ditch.

Here is a diagram of the 4 most common types of fire structures from the Cub Scouts web site.

I use the pyramid method I guess, mine never looks as tidy as the one in the diagram.

The idea is to keep the fuel wood in the fire but not laying flat on the fire because that blocks air flow. I place two of my biggest pieces of wood on either side of the burning starter wood. Just like in the diagram.

Then I stack one smaller piece of fuel wood on top of the first two at a right angle. Once that catches fire, I add another piece of fuel wood right by the one on the top.

This method allows air to get inside the fire while also allowing the big pieces of wood to catch fire.  I even use this method in the fireplace!

3. Finally, keep adding fuel wood to your fire to keep it as large as you desire. Remember to put out your outdoor fires completely using water and a shovel to stir the ashes til they are all cool.

Time for another recipe ……….

I don’t normally send you elsewhere for recipes because if I haven’t tried it, I don’t feel comfortable sharing it. But this…. I have tried.   And oh my, its good! Its easy! Its Autumn-y!

Autumn Almond Bark. You’ve got to try it.

This week I want to share an oh-so-yummy recipe with you. And, if you are like me and hate spending $4 a pop for a small (excuse me, TALL) Pumpkin Spice Latte at Starbucks,  then this recipe is especially for you!

Here is my homemade Pumpkin Spice Latte recipe. Tried and true but you are welcome to tweak it to suit yourself. The method I use has a purpose. So don’t skip any of the steps for the best latte.

Ingredients to make 2 Pumpkin Spice Lattes:
4 tablespoons pureed pumpkin
1 cup very strong coffee (made using 4 tablespoons per 2 – 6 oz cups water)
2 cups milk or half and half, or you could use skim but why??  (Oh you know which is best)
2 teaspoons vanilla ( I tried it with more at first but its just better with this amount)
1/2 – 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (you can start with 1/2 and add more as desired I used 1 teasp)
2 tablespoons sugar
Whipped cream and extra pumpkin pie spice for topping each cup

In a blender combine the pumpkin puree, milk, vanilla and spice. Blend till smooth but don’t over blend the milk. Set aside. The blender will make the texture better in the finished coffee.

In a heavy bottomed medium sized pan combine the coffee and sugar and heat just til the sugar is dissolved. Add the milk mixture and heat gently.

Pour into mugs and top with whipped cream, sprinkle with a little pumpkin pie spice.

That’s IT. Its sooooo goood!