Tonka

 Tonka Dump Truck Restoration

I found 2 Tonka dump trucks. I have to believe that one was mine and one might have been my brothers. After doing a bit of research, it looks like one of them is from pre1972 and the other is from 1973-1991. (1972 was the first year with black side walls 73-91 has the white sidewalls)

Breakfast (another)

Decided to make another breakfast dish tonight. One that could be vacuumed sealed and frozen for later. We both like the Jimmy Dean 'Breakfast bowls' and thought ... why are we buying those ??

Ingredients:
1 lb. Bacon
1 lb. Sausage
5 Large eggs
2 potatoes
Gravy
1/4 tbs butter (to cook eggs in)
Garlic Powder
Onion Powder
Black Pepper
Salt


I like to fry up the bacon (draining off and keeping the grease about half way thru) to just crispy. Set aside.

Place the sausage in the pan and fry it up. Set aside

In a separate pan scramble the eggs. Set aside

Cut potatoes into cubes. Place into pan with left over bacon grease. Season with garlic, onion powders, salt and pepper. (I use about 2-3 pinches of onion/garlics powder per side. 5-6 good grinds of fresh black pepper and 3-4 dashes of salt.

Pack in vacuum seal bags (in order)

Gravy
Eggs
Sausage
Bacon
Taters
(This order keeps the taters crunchy)

Bacon

Sausage

Taters

Night Before Breakfast Dish

We were wanting a breakfast dish that could be made the night before and put in the fridge ... Then just put in the oven the next day, heated up and enjoyed . ...

This is what I came up with.

There are no exact measurements. Sorry ...

You will need:

8 Eggs
3/4 - 1 lb. Sausage
Cheddar Cheese
Potatoes (maybe 3-4 potatoes)
Yellow Onion ( a little less than 2/3 cup diced)
Garlic Powder ( 3 Pinches )
Onion Powder ( 3 Pinches )
Salt (1/4 teaspoon)
Black Pepper (1/8 teaspoon)


Cook the sausage in a pan over medium high heat until done. Set aside.

Mix the 8 eggs in a bowl with the salt and pepper. Set Aside.


Coat a 9 x 13 cooking dish with cooking spray.

  

Peal and shred enough potatoes to cover the cooking dish.
(about 1/2 in layer or so)

(I know ... not the right dish ... but this was from the first try on this dish ;)

Sprinkle lightly, the 3 pinches of Garlic powder and the 3 pinches of onion powder over the shredded potatoes.

Add a light layer of cheddar. Just barley cover the potatoes.

Crumble up sausage on top forming a uniform layer.

Re-stir egg mixture and then pour into dish.

(Sorry ... Added cheese a bit early)

Cover with a thick (to liking) layer of cheese.

(Ready for Oven)

Cook at 350 for about 25 minutes or until bubbly on top.

(Finished !!! )

We like to let cool then place in the fridge until the morning. Then reheat and enjoy.

Fried Rice

I made Fried Rice (recipe below)

 the other day along with a Green Pepper Beef that 'needs something' but we just can't figure out what. (UPDATE - We're thinking that it need a thicker sauce and red pepper flakes)

 

Also made a Green Bean, Pork, and Peanut stir fry  - There was kinda a recipe for this one ... more on that later. (Krista didn't really like the green beans in it so next time I'm gonna try green bell peppers or broccoli)

 

 

Green Beans, Pork, and Peanuts

)

 

 

 

Green Pepper Beef

 

 

 

 

Fried Rice

 

 

Fried Rice Recipe

 

Ingredients:

 

4 Cups Cooked Rice

6 Large Eggs

1 Teaspoon Salt

1/2 Teaspoon Black Pepper

4 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil

1/2 Cup thinly sliced green onions

1 Cup peas

1 cup diced carrots

8 tablespoons Soy Sauce (more if needed)

 

Meats (see below)

Choose or combine Chicken, Shrimp, Pork

        (we will some times do all 3)

 

(Use any combination of meats)

1/2 -1 lb chicken breasts - cut into your favorite sizes (we like bite sized pieces)

1/2 -1 lb pork chops- cut into your favorite sizes (we like bite sized pieces)

 Bag of baby shrimp

 

Make the rice and set aside.
Add 1 tablespoon oil to Pan. Cook your chicken or pork (if adding) in a pan seasoning with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Beat the eggs with the 1 Teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and set aside.

We like to heat all the veggies in a pan with a tablespoon of oil before adding them to the wok ... just cause. Cook the peas for about 2 minutes (longer if frozen) then add the carrots then the onions. Set aside.

Add 1 Tablespoon of oil to wok and get hot. Cook eggs until fluffy. Stirring a lot.

Add rice then vegetables to wok. Add soy sauce. stir stir stir
(Add enough soy sauce for a light brown color on rice.)

Add shrimp at end ...

This is a VERY flexible recipe. This is not anything close to the original one I found . Play with the amounts of salt, pepper, eggs , soy sauce and other ingredients and adjust to your taste. The original called to bean sprouts (which were really good in it) but just not available at our market all the time so we generally leave them out.
 

Brats

Got a chance to make 'Day after Christmas' Bratwurst ... Ended up with almost 120 sausages to go in the freezer.

Also had enough pig left over to do 9 pounds of breakfast sausage too !

Wish we had some more wild pig this time instead of having to buy it at the store but it seems, that after all our rains, the pigs are not coming in to the feeders any more.

Mix of wild and store bought pig

After grinding

Some of the finished product

And in the freezer

Garden Plans - 2016

Here's what the plans look like for 2016.

2016 Spring Garden
 

Past Canning

This summer we tried our hand at cannning and making jelly for the first time. Both of our grandmothers had done this in the past and we both remembered bit and pieces of this from our childhood.

We post a few of what we did this year and next year more of the process.


Apricot Jelly

Raspberry, Blueberry, and Plum (Wild Plum)
We've got wild plum growing all over family property.



Pickles






Salsa




(Bear with us as we learn to format things on these pages)

The pickes were 2 batches.

1. Kosher Dill (slices and spears) and Bread and Butter
2. Kosher Dill spears

Not being a fan of Bread and Butter those were given away and Dills were kept. Had great reviews of both the dills and the Bread and Butter.

The jellys turnd out AWESOME. ... Some were a but runny but a bit longer cook will cure that..

Salsa was a good, not to spicy, eat and eat and eat salsa ... all ingredents were from the farmers market or from our garden.

Can't wat until next year !!!