Looking back at the last couple of months, I’ve realized my passion for growing food has turned into a passion for preparing food. It makes sense that when we had to let go of the farm, and especially in the cold of a Northern Michigan winter, the next best thing to growing food is to cook it.
More to come…
Erick and I recently watched Rachel Rae make mashed cauliflower in place of potatoes. The recipe, as I later found it online, was something as follows:
Add the liquids, then steam until cooked through (remove stem – some people quarter the curd or head of the cauliflower). When cooked through, begin mashing as you would potatoes. Add seasonings and garlic. If you wish to use a potato, you’ll need to prepare this separately and add it in (or cut it up and steam it a bit longer than the cauliflower.
This recipe is also a great way to begin a good, homemade cauliflower soup. Enjoy!
For additional information on cauliflower, please visit HubPages.
Come and celebrate our greatest natural resource in style!
When we first purchased our last house, we received as a house-warming gift, a small potted spruce tree to use for the holiday. We received the tree mid-December, decorated it and kept it indoors until after the new year. The tree then went out on the porch and lived there until late spring. Though it lost many needles, the tree survived and is still standing/growing five years later.
Though potted trees have a 50/50 chance of surviving their first year (much dependent on the care they receive, their age and the duration spent in warmth before heading back into the cold), they make a great, green alternative to fake or cut trees. If you don’t own your property, ask your township, a neighbor, friend or family member if they would be interested in receiving the gift of a tree when you’re finished. If you wish to increase the odds of survival, purchase a smaller, younger tree (under four feet), water it evenly and keep it indoors for fewer than two weeks.
You may also wish to use LED lights to reduce heat on the needles. LEDs also offer up to a 98% savings over traditional lights and they are now just as bright as traditional. You can find LED lights at any major box store in as many shapes and sizes as traditional bulbs.
Have a very merry holiday!
