Week two passed faster and easier. I'm in a good groove now and what was a big change to my "normal" has now become my normal. Just realizing that today gave me a feeling of relief and made me smile. I don't have the disorganized feelings I had during week one, and I have settled into things such that I'm a lot more relaxed. Do I worry about having enough food for another 11 weeks? Sure! But I I think I'm making smart choices, and I'm going to reinventory after the 6th week just to keep things in perspective. I have joked that I might end up with some crazy combination of food on week 13 like like mint jelly on tomatoes or 15 servings of applesauce, and it may well happen. But I'm not to that yet. Yet.
Day 8
breakfast: blackberry and green apple smoothie
lunch: dandelion and wild onion fritter tacos with hot salsa, pears (canned with orange and nutmeg), 2 slices of pan bread with butter and rose of sharon jelly
dinner: drum cooked in chive and thyme butter with pear chow-chow and mayo "tartar sauce", cinnamon applesauce
From my journal:
This afternoon I went on a hike for wood ear mushrooms because I hoped to make a soup without digging into my dried mushroom stash so soon. I set out into the woods in sunshine. I was also hoping to be alone, but dogs without owners and owners without dogs were out enjoying the day also.
Soon I heard a man with a dog behind me. I moved off the trail to look at the river. Mostly I was pretending to be in a long contemplation about the river as he passed. I just didn't want anyone near me. Later on, the same man met me on his way back, looked at my bag I was carrying and asked, "Are you looking for oyster mushrooms?" I replied, "Wood ears." The man's face kept hold of a little smile but his nose wrinkled as if he suddenly smelled something bad. "The oysters I have seen are all too far gone," I said. He nodded and wished me luck.
Up ahead I heard a man and woman coming my way, talking loudly about vacation and the holidays. I moved near the river and put my hand on my forehead to block the sun, pretending to look across the water like you'd image William Clark to do on the edge of the Missouri only I was wearing a red stocking cap with a pom pom and holding a knife in my pocket in case a weirdo were to jump me (mostly to cut wood ears off trees though). The couple passed, never pausing in conversation to give some peace and quiet to the woods. I didn't wait long enough before stepping back onto the trail. My foot snapped a stick loudly and the man wheeled around quickly, but there I stood, just a person with a bag by the river and not the knife-wielding weirdo he could have expected. I smiled and went on my way.
Later, after a series of dogs passed in hot pursuits, I heard a noise. I wasn't sure if it was a rusty old children's swingset with the swings moving on their own in the wind like the begining of a horror movie or if it was someone whistling in the distance, the tune echoing off the many large tree trunks. Unfortunately, it was the latter. I had managed to move about 30 feet off the trail when the whistling man with a dog came strutting along. I thought about hiding behind a tree. What must it take to be alone in the woods? He saw me, seemed a bit startled, walked off the trail in my direction, then returned to the trail calling for his dog.
I finally had the whole trail to myself after I eventually turned to go back the few miles of the return trip. But I had no mushrooms. In the last quarter mile of the hike I gathered some wild onions. I kept walking and said out loud, "Well what about one god damn dandelion at least?" In another two steps I looked down to see a large dandelion with six inch leaves, some frostbitten, some still green. I picked the best ones and went home to make lunch, wondering if the calories expended on the trail would be greater than those of my light meal.
Day 8
breakfast: blackberry and green apple smoothie
lunch: dandelion and wild onion fritter tacos with hot salsa, pears (canned with orange and nutmeg), 2 slices of pan bread with butter and rose of sharon jelly
dinner: drum cooked in chive and thyme butter with pear chow-chow and mayo "tartar sauce", cinnamon applesauce
From my journal:
This afternoon I went on a hike for wood ear mushrooms because I hoped to make a soup without digging into my dried mushroom stash so soon. I set out into the woods in sunshine. I was also hoping to be alone, but dogs without owners and owners without dogs were out enjoying the day also.
Soon I heard a man with a dog behind me. I moved off the trail to look at the river. Mostly I was pretending to be in a long contemplation about the river as he passed. I just didn't want anyone near me. Later on, the same man met me on his way back, looked at my bag I was carrying and asked, "Are you looking for oyster mushrooms?" I replied, "Wood ears." The man's face kept hold of a little smile but his nose wrinkled as if he suddenly smelled something bad. "The oysters I have seen are all too far gone," I said. He nodded and wished me luck.
Up ahead I heard a man and woman coming my way, talking loudly about vacation and the holidays. I moved near the river and put my hand on my forehead to block the sun, pretending to look across the water like you'd image William Clark to do on the edge of the Missouri only I was wearing a red stocking cap with a pom pom and holding a knife in my pocket in case a weirdo were to jump me (mostly to cut wood ears off trees though). The couple passed, never pausing in conversation to give some peace and quiet to the woods. I didn't wait long enough before stepping back onto the trail. My foot snapped a stick loudly and the man wheeled around quickly, but there I stood, just a person with a bag by the river and not the knife-wielding weirdo he could have expected. I smiled and went on my way.
Later, after a series of dogs passed in hot pursuits, I heard a noise. I wasn't sure if it was a rusty old children's swingset with the swings moving on their own in the wind like the begining of a horror movie or if it was someone whistling in the distance, the tune echoing off the many large tree trunks. Unfortunately, it was the latter. I had managed to move about 30 feet off the trail when the whistling man with a dog came strutting along. I thought about hiding behind a tree. What must it take to be alone in the woods? He saw me, seemed a bit startled, walked off the trail in my direction, then returned to the trail calling for his dog.
I finally had the whole trail to myself after I eventually turned to go back the few miles of the return trip. But I had no mushrooms. In the last quarter mile of the hike I gathered some wild onions. I kept walking and said out loud, "Well what about one god damn dandelion at least?" In another two steps I looked down to see a large dandelion with six inch leaves, some frostbitten, some still green. I picked the best ones and went home to make lunch, wondering if the calories expended on the trail would be greater than those of my light meal.
Day 9
breakfast: blackberry smoothie
lunch: glazed rooster wings, salad of carrot tops, beet greens, dandelions, garlic bulbils, olive oil, salt
snack: pears
dinner: black walnut cookies and milk
During this week I had an unusually strong craving for cookies. This surprised me because I can't think of a specific time when I outright craved cookies before. Thinking about my available ingredients, I chose to make a very simplified sugar cookie with added black walnuts. For dinner I ate 7 cookies dunked into my prepared soymilk (2 tablespoons powder per 1 cup water) in my favorite Snoopy mug. I'm an adult, afterall. If I want cookies and milk for dinner, then by golly...
breakfast: blackberry smoothie
lunch: glazed rooster wings, salad of carrot tops, beet greens, dandelions, garlic bulbils, olive oil, salt
snack: pears
dinner: black walnut cookies and milk
During this week I had an unusually strong craving for cookies. This surprised me because I can't think of a specific time when I outright craved cookies before. Thinking about my available ingredients, I chose to make a very simplified sugar cookie with added black walnuts. For dinner I ate 7 cookies dunked into my prepared soymilk (2 tablespoons powder per 1 cup water) in my favorite Snoopy mug. I'm an adult, afterall. If I want cookies and milk for dinner, then by golly...
Day 10
breakfast: spinach and sage omelet
lunch: leftover wings, cinnamon applesauce, cookie
dinner: egg tacos with hot salsa
Today was another egg bartering day! A very nice woman and her daughter who live north of me outside of town raise chickens and offered to trade a dozen eggs for some forsythia jelly and dried spearmint. From the sounds of things, I might be able to barter with her all winter. I love the look of fresh eggs, all different sizes and shades of brown. Plus so rich and just more special than any store-bought. Thank you, Crystal and Shelby!
Also today, Laura, who lives in my neighborhood, traded me some pickled beets for forsythia jelly. This forsythia jelly is getting some nice mileage! Thank you, Laura! (The start of week three has already seen the beets eaten and they were absolutely perfect!)
Day 11
breakfast: egg, potato, spinach, garlic bulbil, and herb scramble
lunch: leftover breakfast scramble in pan bread taco with hot salsa
dinner: polenta with oyster mushrooms, garlic bulbils, basil tomato sauce, and dried basil
snack: apples in light syrup, elderberry/blackberry wine
I got my 2017 fishing license and added on, upon Intimidating Minnow's wise suggestion, a 2017 apprentice hunting license. This means that I can hunt with a licensed hunter all year.
breakfast: spinach and sage omelet
lunch: leftover wings, cinnamon applesauce, cookie
dinner: egg tacos with hot salsa
Today was another egg bartering day! A very nice woman and her daughter who live north of me outside of town raise chickens and offered to trade a dozen eggs for some forsythia jelly and dried spearmint. From the sounds of things, I might be able to barter with her all winter. I love the look of fresh eggs, all different sizes and shades of brown. Plus so rich and just more special than any store-bought. Thank you, Crystal and Shelby!
Also today, Laura, who lives in my neighborhood, traded me some pickled beets for forsythia jelly. This forsythia jelly is getting some nice mileage! Thank you, Laura! (The start of week three has already seen the beets eaten and they were absolutely perfect!)
Day 11
breakfast: egg, potato, spinach, garlic bulbil, and herb scramble
lunch: leftover breakfast scramble in pan bread taco with hot salsa
dinner: polenta with oyster mushrooms, garlic bulbils, basil tomato sauce, and dried basil
snack: apples in light syrup, elderberry/blackberry wine
I got my 2017 fishing license and added on, upon Intimidating Minnow's wise suggestion, a 2017 apprentice hunting license. This means that I can hunt with a licensed hunter all year.
Day 12
breakfast: leftover scramble, cornbread muffin with rose of sharon jelly
lunch: leftover scramble, cornbread muffin with mint jelly
dinner: leftover polenta with scrambled eggs and basil tomato sauce, cornbread muffin with forsythia jelly
Don't eat scrambled eggs on polenta! I was so hungry for dinner that I just threw it together not much caring what I was eating. I'm a texture person. I like food with texture or differences in texture. So eggs on polenta had my mouth asking what the heck. It didn't matter because it was food and I was hungry, but don't make it if you don't have to.
Intimidating Minnow bought two, yes two, .22 air rifles. You see where this is going.
breakfast: leftover scramble, cornbread muffin with rose of sharon jelly
lunch: leftover scramble, cornbread muffin with mint jelly
dinner: leftover polenta with scrambled eggs and basil tomato sauce, cornbread muffin with forsythia jelly
Don't eat scrambled eggs on polenta! I was so hungry for dinner that I just threw it together not much caring what I was eating. I'm a texture person. I like food with texture or differences in texture. So eggs on polenta had my mouth asking what the heck. It didn't matter because it was food and I was hungry, but don't make it if you don't have to.
Intimidating Minnow bought two, yes two, .22 air rifles. You see where this is going.
Day 13
breakfast: spinach and garlic bulbil omelet, cornbread muffin with forsythia jelly
snack: pear leathers
dinner: spinach and egg tacos with hot salsa
Went hunting for rabbits and squirrels, but it rained all day and nothing was out and about. I had a wonderful time anyway, being outside, walking slowly through trees, listening and stopping every few steps. I did hit something, though...an Orange Crush pop can. I told mom about this and she asked if I was going to can or freeze it.
Day 14
breakfast: blackberry smoothie, hot mint tea
lunch: pickled beets, pan bread with butter
dinner: rooster breast stuffed with apple chutney and topped with gravy, johnnycakes
breakfast: spinach and garlic bulbil omelet, cornbread muffin with forsythia jelly
snack: pear leathers
dinner: spinach and egg tacos with hot salsa
Went hunting for rabbits and squirrels, but it rained all day and nothing was out and about. I had a wonderful time anyway, being outside, walking slowly through trees, listening and stopping every few steps. I did hit something, though...an Orange Crush pop can. I told mom about this and she asked if I was going to can or freeze it.
Day 14
breakfast: blackberry smoothie, hot mint tea
lunch: pickled beets, pan bread with butter
dinner: rooster breast stuffed with apple chutney and topped with gravy, johnnycakes
Recipes:
Dandelion and wild onion fritters:
8-10 large dandelion leaves, chopped fine
2 handfuls wild onion leaves, chopped fine
Mix leaves with 1/2 beaten egg, some salt, 2 tablespoons cornmeal, and 2 tablespoons gluten-free flour. Make patties and sautee in olive oil until brown and crunchy on each side. You end up with 2-3 medium to large fritters.
Glazed rooster wings:
4 rooster wings, 1 tablespoon butter, 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 1/2 tablespoons leftover syrup from the canned pears with orange and nutmeg, 1/4 cup garlic bulbils, 1 teaspoon salt, dried thyme.
Melt butter and add bulbils in saucepan, slightly mashing the bulbils. Cook until tender and then add sugar, syrup, and salt. Simmer 5-10 minutes. Strain out the bulbils and put aside to use on a salad. Simmer the glaze another 5 minutes and reduce until it is to desired thickness. Let cool. Toss rooster wings in glaze and add some dashes of dried thyme. Bake in an 11" x 7" Pyrex for 20 minutes at 400 degrees. Turn wings 10 minutes into baking and baste with glaze from the pan.
Black walnut cookies:
1 cup gluten-free flour, 1/3 cup sugar, 8 tablespoons butter, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, 1/2 cup black walnuts
Mix all ingredients well, form into balls about 1" to 1.5" in diameter. Flatten the tops of the balls slightly with back of a serving spoon. Bake at 325 degrees for approximately 25 minutes until the cookies start to brown on the bottom edges. I found these were best the next day!
Johnnycakes:
3/4 cup cornmeal, 1/8 cup gluten-free flour (I used this combination because it was what I had left for my flour allowances this week), 1/2 teaspon salt, 1/2 tablespoon butter, 1/2 tablspoon sugar, 1/8 cup soymilk, 1/2 cup boiling water. Mix all ingredients well and pour into a hot and lightly oiled skillet like you would a pancake. Flip once slightly browned.
Image credit: me and Cale
Dandelion and wild onion fritters:
8-10 large dandelion leaves, chopped fine
2 handfuls wild onion leaves, chopped fine
Mix leaves with 1/2 beaten egg, some salt, 2 tablespoons cornmeal, and 2 tablespoons gluten-free flour. Make patties and sautee in olive oil until brown and crunchy on each side. You end up with 2-3 medium to large fritters.
Glazed rooster wings:
4 rooster wings, 1 tablespoon butter, 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 1/2 tablespoons leftover syrup from the canned pears with orange and nutmeg, 1/4 cup garlic bulbils, 1 teaspoon salt, dried thyme.
Melt butter and add bulbils in saucepan, slightly mashing the bulbils. Cook until tender and then add sugar, syrup, and salt. Simmer 5-10 minutes. Strain out the bulbils and put aside to use on a salad. Simmer the glaze another 5 minutes and reduce until it is to desired thickness. Let cool. Toss rooster wings in glaze and add some dashes of dried thyme. Bake in an 11" x 7" Pyrex for 20 minutes at 400 degrees. Turn wings 10 minutes into baking and baste with glaze from the pan.
Black walnut cookies:
1 cup gluten-free flour, 1/3 cup sugar, 8 tablespoons butter, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, 1/2 cup black walnuts
Mix all ingredients well, form into balls about 1" to 1.5" in diameter. Flatten the tops of the balls slightly with back of a serving spoon. Bake at 325 degrees for approximately 25 minutes until the cookies start to brown on the bottom edges. I found these were best the next day!
Johnnycakes:
3/4 cup cornmeal, 1/8 cup gluten-free flour (I used this combination because it was what I had left for my flour allowances this week), 1/2 teaspon salt, 1/2 tablespoon butter, 1/2 tablspoon sugar, 1/8 cup soymilk, 1/2 cup boiling water. Mix all ingredients well and pour into a hot and lightly oiled skillet like you would a pancake. Flip once slightly browned.
Image credit: me and Cale