Busy Morning in the Kitchen

What's a blog post with no pictures?  A sign that the author didn't think ahead, and the finished product isn't really photo worthy!  I could get a shot of the messy kitchen, but most of us know what that looks like!

When I started, I was just going to make a batch of these Apricot Bites, then realized my turkey had been in the crockpot (for broth) long enough and it was time to get it canned.

So, I delayed the bites and started filling jars with broth.  I also had enough meat set aside and more that had come off the bones that I was able to fill 3 quarts with meat.  I filled another 3 with broth.  That homegrown turkey has already fed us 3 times, and with these 6 quarts of broth and meat, we'll get at least another 6 meals from it!  We got these turkeys in exchange for our buckling last fall, and the cost of feed brings our investment to less than $2 per meal for all of us!

Once I got the canner going, I made the Apricot Bites, but without the almond meal, simply because I don't have any.  There was indication in the comments that I could simply leave it out, but I did increase the quantity of cashews.  I've not worked with almond meal before, so I don't know if that's what caused them not to stick together, but I actually had to press them into a pan and freeze in order to help them stay together.  Even then, they're still quite crumbly, but delicious!

I decided since the food processor needed to be washed I'd make a batch of peppermint coconut bark first.  I haven't made it for years, but it's a great way to get coconut oil into my daily diet.  I use raw cocoa powder-another superfood-and usually use raw honey, but we have a bottle that isn't that needs to be used up before I open the raw honey I recently purchased.

Now that those are done, I've been resting my back, writing this, giving assignments to my son and waiting for the canner to finish.  Next week I'm going to make more recipes for morning power bar bites-maybe I'll remember to take pictures.  ;-)

Spring

10 of these

Plus 19 of these

Plus 10 of these

Plus 28 of these

3 of these

and 3 of these

Plus 5 of these

1 of these

1 of these

Plus 3 of these

And this guy

Equals ONE happy farm!