As the weather today is forecast as ‘mostly icky with occasional downpours’ I decided to stay inside today and work in the kitchen.  I might even get a bag done towards my challenge, but that’s a different post.  I have a new bread recipe that I’m trying out (more on that later), and what goes best with fresh, warm bread?  Why, butter of course.  As the bread was rising, I broke out my trusty Ninja blender/food processor and whipped some up.  Fresh butter is amazing.  And really very simple. So much so you should try it yourself.

Here’s what you will need:

• blender
• cream (I used 32 oz of heavy whipping cream, but you can use sour cream, sweet cream…see the trend?)
• fine grain salt (standard salt is fine)
• herbs, spices (optional) (I like to use 4 cloves of garlic)

That’s it.  Really.  Now, here’s how to do it…

As you can see, I have my Ninja blender filled with 32 ounces of your basic heavy whipping cream. Also visible is my French butter crock that I will be filling with the fresh butter later. And you can even see the gorgeous Venetian plaster I have on the walls of my kitchen.

If you are going to add garlic or other herbs, now is the time.  Make sure they are peeled or otherwise ‘ready to eat’ (no branches or stems) before you add them.  I was going to make garlic butter this time, but forgot.  Oops. Start the blender.  For the next five or so minutes you will get to watch the butter churn right before your eyes.  During that five minutes your cream will go through stages that you will be able to see and hear as your blender first creates whipped cream…

Not the best picture of whipped cream, but you get the idea.  Be warned, though, unless you added sugar this will not taste quite how you expect it.  Anyway, continue to blend and you will feel the blender’s power change slightly (different consistencies make the blender work harder) as the cream continues on its journey towards being butter.  After about 5 minutes (could be more or less…my Ninja took about 4.25 minutes), you should notice that the blender has chunks spinning about in a liquid.

Kind of like that.  When you open the blender you should see a pale yellow mess of butter and some liquid at the bottom.

Pour the buttermilk (the liquid) off making sure to catch any stray chunks of butter that attempt to escape.

I think we’re having pancakes tomorrow for breakfast!  Put your buttermilk in another container, refrigerate it and use within a week or two.

Now, the butter left in your bowl is still a yellow mess…but it is done.  If you want to, you can take some right out of the bowl and put it on some warm bread. However, (I think) butter tastes better salted and I know that it will last longer.

So, first we will wash the butter.  Basically, we are going to add cold water, knead the butter and water like bread, then pour the water off.  Continue to do that until the water that is poured off is clean.  That removes any last traces of buttermilk and also helps keep your butter fresh longer.  It should take 3 or 4 good cleanings.

Next we need to get all the remaining water out.  Ball up your butter and squeeze it like you are packing a snowball.  You will be able to see water running out of the butter.  Shake off your hands when you need to and continue to work the butter until you’ve gotten as much water out as you can.  Don’t worry too much about this, there is usually some left and it really won’t hurt anything.

Next, we salt the butter.  A word about salt.  I generally use standard salt, however, sea salt and kosher salt is fine.  I prefer to use kosher salt in pretty much everything, but I’m lazy and I’ve found that working with fine grained salt is easier.  If you want to crush a coarser salt with a mortar and pestle or even a blender, be my guest.  The amount of salt you use is to taste.  Start light, it’s easy to go too heavy.  I usually scatter some salt on my hand that is already damp and then work it into the butter using a fold and squeeze approach.  Squeeze or press the butter flat, fold over one side, repeat.  You will probably notice more water releasing as you work the salt in.  That’s ok. That’s also why I said not to worry about it too much earlier.

Now, the salt is done!  I filled the top of my French butter crock with the soft butter and put the rest of the butter into another crock for storage in the refrigerator.

When cold, the butter will be very hard.  Since I like to have spreadable butter available, I put some cold water in the bottom of my butter crock and then inverted the top with the butter into the water.  This can be kept on the counter for days, even weeks as long as you change the water every 3 days.

This particular crock is the one I will be using at Renaissance Faires with my historical reenactment group. While I’m unable to find proof that this little gem is period to 1570, it is certainly within the scope of knowledge and the abilities of the crafters of the time.  I got mine from artisan James Sloss and you can get one here.

Now that making the butter is done, go enjoy some.

We are now six days into the challenge.  I have added another bag of yard trash to my collection, bringing my total to four plus a box.  I’m a little behind the curve, but I expect I will catch up this week.  Should I could the old stove and mattress I’m getting rid of since I got replacements for them??

The chicken run supplies have been bought and brought home..now just to the building of the thing.  It would be kinda nice to have the fence just construct itself./sigh.

I seemed to have so much more to say when I initially sat down to write this…hmm.

So, three days into my Lenten challenge, I have collected one bag of trash, two bags of donations (mostly Richard’s old toys), and a box of stuff sold to 2nd & Charles.  Yay!  So far, so good.

In other news, I’ve been super-effective today…like an electrical attack vs a flying pokemon super-effective. I know, right?  Bask in awe at my super-effectiveness. Today (with the help of my tax return) I’ve ordered a new stove (OMG IT IS AWESOME!!), a pair of new laptops (they were the deal of the day on Best Buy), got our Heat/AC working (Thank you again, Eddie),  and started the dogs on a more interesting diet.

Most of you know that some dogs are allergic to wheat and grain in general isn’t the best thing to feed them.  The body odors coming out off my canine children attest to the fact that they do not digest ‘run of the mill’ (read: cheap) dog food well.  So, today, I limited the kibble in their meals, added chopped carrots, chopped garlic and they all shared a can of a grain-free wet food.  All mixed up it didn’t look much different than some of the high end wet foods you can buy…and, best of all, they ate it.  Will keep you posted on how it goes.

UPDATE: My son’s mattress.  9.75 inches.  Nice.  Looking at a queen size one now for me.  :)

I’ts all over the net…but if you haven’t seen it yet, you can here, here, and here.

Ok, I’m game.  It started as a Lenten thing…and while I’m not going to claim to be overly religious, I’m up for some spiritual cleansing (and house cleaning).  And, oh, wow, do I have a ton of stuff to do!  Might not be a daily thing, but I’m sure I’ll get 40 bags.

Today, we start with the unnamed room that used to be my son’s.  Since my daughter moved out and my son took over the room she had occupied, as it was slightly larger, the spare room as been an office, a guest bedroom, and a storage area.  Right now it’s a mess.

I’m going to use normal kitchen trash bags, I think…not too ambitious…but I will have no problem expanding to larger bags or calling my book turn-in to 2nd & Charles that I am planning for this or next week to be at least a bag or two.  I have WAY too many books.

PS:  I love the acrylic nails…but it makes it hard to type.  :(

My son needed a new mattress. So, I bought him this: LUCID by LinenSpa 10″ Memory Foam Firm Viscoelastic Mattress. Now, most claims of 10 inches that I have heard have turned out to be sadly exaggerated, so I was, understandably, skeptical. However, he needed a new mattress, the reviews were good and it wasn’t outrageously priced.

My concerns weren’t abated in the slightest when the mattress showed up today in this box. I’m sure it will get bigger, I told myself and proceeded to open the box.

After removing the mattress, I found a rolled up mat about an inch think as wide as my son’s twin bed. Surely, they weren’t expecting me to be happy with this tiny thing! Next, I removed the outer wrapping, hoping it would work better. Though the mattress was now more mattress-looking, as it covered the entire length and width of the bed, but I still wasn’t seeing 10 inches. I knew it, I scoffed mentally, it’s never really 10 inches.

I figured, though, that in order for it to really work (and to be able to feel it’s firmness) I needed to get it out of the last of it’s wrappings.  The vacuum seal did make a surprisingly satisfying sound as it popped.  With that done I must say I was pleasantly surprised at how quickly it seemed to thicken. It got to a decent 5-6 inches quite quickly. That’s not too bad, I thought.

Since we had stripped his bed, I took his sheets into the other room to dump in the wash and retrieved another set to put on his new mattress. Low and behold the older ‘kiddie’ sheets didn’t fit. The mattress is now a quite respectable 8 inches. This process has taken all of about 30 minutes.

While it’s not 10 inches yet, I’m now hoping that it will and will update you when it has finally stopped expanding. Additionally, it does seem to be as firm (and the best really are quite firm and stay that way even with repeated use) and comfy as the reviews claim. So far…so good.

So, I promised my husband that I would give him full credit for the gift of my Maine Coon kitten, Artemis.  She wasn’t a Valentine’s Day gift…or Christmas…or my birthday.  Nor was she a bargaining chip used by my husband to acquire additional rifles.  She was simply a gift because he loves me and knew it would make me happy. I like to think I’m pretty good with words, but I cannot adequately describe how much this gesture meant to me and how much I love him.  I guess I will have to find him that Krag Jorgensen he wants. 

I know I’m late in the game in writing about this issue and the fallout that is surrounding it…but, better late than never I suppose.  Gov. Christie ordered the US Flag to flown at half staff on Saturday to honor Whitney Houston on the day of her funeral.  Wow…Some of the reactions coming from all over the country.

Don’t understand what all the fuss is about?  Here is the link to the flag code: http://www.ushistory.org/betsy/flagcode.htm.  These are the rules that American citizens are supposed to follow in regards to the flag of the United States of America.  The part we’re interested in today is 7m.

The flag, when flown at half-staff, should be first hoisted to the peak for an instant and then lowered to the half-staff position. The flag should be again raised to the peak before it is lowered for the day. On Memorial Day the flag should be displayed at half-staff until noon only, then raised to the top of the staff. By order of the President, the flag shall be flown at half-staff upon the death of principal figures of the United States Government and the Governor of a State, territory, or possession, as a mark of respect to their memory. In the event of the death of other officials or foreign dignitaries, the flag is to be displayed at half-staff according to Presidential instructions or orders, or in accordance with recognized customs or practices not inconsistent with law. In the event of the death of a present or former official of the government of any State, territory, or possession of the United States, or the death of a member of the Armed Forces from any State, territory, or possession who dies while serving on active duty, the Governor of that State, territory, or possession may proclaim that the National flag shall be flown at half-staff, and the same authority is provided to the Mayor of the District of Columbia with respect to present or former officials of the District of Columbia and members of the Armed Forces from the District of Columbia. The flag shall be flown at half-staff 30 days from the death of the President or a former President; 10 days from the day of death of the Vice President, the Chief Justice or a retired Chief Justice of the United States, or the Speaker of the House of Representatives; from the day of death until interment of an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, a Secretary of an executive or military department, a former Vice President, or the Governor of a State, territory, or possession; and on the day of death and the following day for a Member of Congress. The flag shall be flown at half-staff on Peace Officers Memorial Day, unless that day is also Armed Forces Day. As used in this subsection —

1. the term “half-staff” means the position of the flag when it is one-half the distance between the top and bottom of the staff;
2. the term “executive or military department” means any agency listed under sections 101 and 102 of title 5, United States Code; and
3. the term “Member of Congress” means a Senator, a Representative, a Delegate, or the Resident Commissioner from Puerto Rico.

That’s really long.  Let me cut right to the important part for you.

In the event of the death of a present or former official of the government of any State, territory, or possession of the United States, or the death of a member of the Armed Forces from any State, territory, or possession who dies while serving on active duty, the Governor of that State, territory, or possession may proclaim that the National flag shall be flown at half-staff, and the same authority is provided to the Mayor of the District of Columbia with respect to present or former officials of the District of Columbia and members of the Armed Forces from the District of Columbia.

So, the esteemed governor of New Jersey, the state where I was born and up until now had been proud to call Home (Home with a capital H because I currently live in North Carolina with my active duty soldier husband), does indeed have the power to lower the flag. But for Whitney Houston?  Some people are claiming that her lifestyle and habits make her ineligible for this great honor.  Uhm…no.  Her lifestyle has nothing to do with it.  The code clearly states that the flag can be lowered for political leaders and active duty service members.

Do I think that the governor was trying to pay respects on one of New Jersey’s Own?  Yes, and I’m glad that a native daughter was able to utilize her talent and become a legend.  Whatever problems she had and demons she had to fight were her own, and should be left at that.  However, she did not serve as a political leader to the best of my knowledge, nor did she die while on active duty status in any branch of the military. Therefore, she did not deserve the honor of a lowered flag.  Furthermore, the flag has been lowered in New Jersey for other entertainers.  Do I think that was wrong as well?  Yes. Do I, personally, think it is disrespectful to those who have earned the honor?  Yes, I do.  In my opinion, celebrities are usually pretty to look at or listen to, but I’m not interested in their lives, their habits, or their politics.

However, someone else has more than elequently stated the issue.  http://www.njlawman.com/Editorials/008-flag-half-mast.htm

So, my new project doesn’t even have a working title yet, though I have started some actual work on it.  I am writing a historical fiction/cookbook. I know…I know.  Basically, I’m writing a cookbook of 16th century recipes from all the places my merchant character from the ren fair has been.  Written in character.  :)  It’s exciting…and exhausting.  I’m currently researching recipes and trying to narrow down the scope and bredth of the project.  I could spend an entire book just on one area, but I really think I want to touch on several of the places she visited.  Suggestions are always welcome…Here is the list of places Brona has been:

Ireland

Norway (Voss)

Germany (Lubeck)

Russia (Novgorod, Moscow)

India

Ukraine

Istanbul

Greece (Athens)

Here is where I’m less sure of her route, one of the things I’m working on…she could have visited: Italy, Southern France, Southern Spain, Portugal (probably not), Egypt (out of the way), Northern Africa, and Morocco

and, lastly, England.

So many updates…

1. The Carolina Renaissance Festival went great for my historical re-enactment group.  We had a great time, met lots of new friends, were asked to come back (!) and hopefully educated some people in the process.
2. We’ve taken in a Maine Coon (kind of a rescue).  Elvis is almost 2 and wasn’t doing well in his previous home.  Lack of time, love and attention I suspect.  When I approached a local breeder for a kitten, she told me about Elvis.  After meeting him, we agreed on a kitten and the bigger guy.  Kitty comes home in Feb(?) and Elvis is here now.  He’s so sweet and is already approaching us for love.
3. Chickens are doing fine.  Nugget, the Bantam, disappeared for a week.  I thought she was long gone…then she just showed up one day, saying “Heeeey, what’s up?  What do you mean?  I’ve been here the whole time…Silly human.” Hmm.
4. I’m making noble garb for next year’s fair!  Well, right now I’m talking about it, but soon, really, I will start working on the actual sewing.
5. Lightspeed and Fantasy are merging, so I’m leaving my Assistant Editor position with Fantasy to take over doing the Advertising Manager position for Lightspeed.  So, if you want to promote your book/website/etc…I’m the one to talk to.

I’ve gotten my son back onto his schooling this morning…my office is set up in the (now) spare bedroom, laundry is down to one basket, I read a bunch of slush this morning…and I’m feeling pretty good.  Sore, but good. Started the UFC training workout yesterday.  Ow. Since I’m feeling so accomplished, it is obvious to me that I’ve forgotten something major that I should be doing.  Oh, don’t get me wrong, there is still plenty that I know I need to do.  But it feels like something else is waiting to ambush me.