My sister took many terrific pictures of my mom’s birthday blowout on Saturday but I didn’t even think of doing the same. She will be sending them to me though and I will post them when I get them. In lue of this I am posting a bobo picture taken by my friend Michelle.

So this week is Pioneer Week. This idea was suggested by the fabulous Deanna Duke over at “Crunchy Chicken”. I’m cheating today by using my computer but didn’t have a chance to post this entry yesterday.

I’m going to do a few things differently this week that I hope will continue well after this week.

A) From

http://hannaqueen.blogspot.com/2010/01/laundry-soap-for-less-than-penny-per.html

“HOW YOU MAKE THE SOAP:
1. Put 6 cups of water in a pan and put on medium heat. While its heating up, shred your bar of soap using a cheese grater. Add the soap and mix until completely dissolved. You do not want chunks so this is a very important note. Once
2. Have a gallon of water aside and ready. This is why a milk jug is handy.
3. Add 1/2 cup of washing soda and 1/2 cup of borax to the soap water mixture. Mix till completely dissolved.
4. Put 4 cups of hot water to the bucket.
5. Pour hot soap mixture into the bucket and whisk till dissolved.
6. Add one gallon of water you had set aside plus 6 more cups of hot water. Mix till completely dissolved.
7. Let soap sit for 24 hours and it will gel up.
8. Use 1/2 cup for standard washers and 1/4 cup for HE washers.
DONE!”

B) From this month’s “Natural Home”

Antibacterial spray:
In a spray bottle mix; 1 cup vinegar, 3 c. water, 10 drops tea tree oil, 1 tsp. liquid soap and 20 drops of lavendar essential oil.

C) Charging my phone etc.
I’ve had this for awhile and have honestly been too lazy to learn how to use it.

http://www.hymini.com/

D) I’m going to walk as many places as I can-including the Nepean Museum which is only a few block away, free and embarrassingly I have never gone too.

E) I’m going to cut some quilt pieces for a project that I intend to make over the next while for Madison. She has been given some really special pieces of clothing that I just can’t part with and I intend to cut squares out of them and make a crazy quilt out of it for when she eventually gets a “big girl” bed.

F) I am going to try to finish a stocking hat that I started to knit awhile ago for Michelle to use in her amazing photos.

G) I will have my godkids over for badminton and some board games.

H) Mainly though, I am going to use everything in the house that we have as I know for certain that my great-great-grandmother would not have travelled several hours by horse to pick-up something for that meal. Our farm was and is in the middle of nowhere in the Ottawa Valley and my grandmother used to even salt her own pork when I was little.

Monday: Cabbage rolls
I’m using; 2 cups leftover pork roast (chopped), 2 tsp dill, 2 cloves of garlic, half a chopped onion, 1/2 cup chopped dried fruit, salt and pepper. I then wrap these in cabbage leaves and place in a 9×11 pan that half a 1/2 inch of tomato sauce in it. Bake for 40 minutes covered in foil.

Tuesday: Tempah with coconut sauce (not really like a pioneer but I have eveerything in the house for it).

Wednesday: Salmon wrapped in prosciutto that has been sprinkled with wasabi and baked until the salmon is firm.

Thursday: I’m going to take a roast of lamb and bake it in the oven with some of my rhubarb chutney that I made earlier this summer.

Friday: I have a leftover roast in the freezer and will be making

http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,2226,152179-232201,00.html

LEFTOVER ROAST BEEF CORNISH PASTIES

leftover roast beef, finely chopped
leftover cooked vegetables from roast (onion, carrots, potatoes – finely chopped)
1/2 small onion (raw), very finely chopped
salt and black pepper, to taste
poultry seasoning to taste
leftover gravy, warmed
pie pastry, mix or home made
large cookie sheet or jelly roll pan, lightly floured

Using large bowl combine all of the meat and vegetables which have been finely chopped as well as the finely chopped fresh onion. Mix all together, adding enough of the gravy to make it relatively moist.
Prepare the pastry and using small amount, form a light ball and with rolling pin roll out on your floured counter to make an 8″ or so circle.

Put a large spoonful onto the circle and fold over, sealing and crimping the edges. Use a sharp knife to put small slashes into the top of the pastie (careful not to cut all the way through to the bottom).

Using a metal spatula lift the pastie onto the pan and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Put as many as will fit onto the pan and bake at 350°F for 45 minutes or so – until they are lightly browned. Remove from pan and cool on cookie racks and refrigerate OR serve immediately with a salad and crusty bread.

These little guys are really good cold in your lunch pail with some brown bread or cole slaw

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