Spice Mixes and All That Sugar

No more sugar for me! Now that I've been diagnosed as diabetic (hubby has been for YEARS) I need to find a way to have the spice blends I like without the sugar. I also need to find some fulfilling recipes for candy that is sugar free which won't be easy as the sugar is crucial in some recipes to help set the candy up! And, I need one of the red circles with the slash that means "NO" to add to this sugar jar!

So, I'm on the lookout for DIY mixes that resemble the commercial spice blends and sweets. I'd been using what he likes for his and my preferences for mine when possible as a while back I was surprised at how many spice blends have sugar or corn syrup added. With hubby already diabetic, my diet changes have had to be those hidden sugars in things I eat that he can't. Yes, I knew they were there. The good news is it's working because I've managed to loose 15# without starving myself. I'm busy with the homestead, but with my disability I have to sit down a LOT and have little energy. Truthfully, I think I lost that weight in the candy aisles as I get no more 3 Musketeers, Snickers, etc. I now get to visit the dietary section with sugar free candies. They are EXPENSIVE too. So I'm on a new search to make my own spice blends and sugar free chocolates!

In the meantime, I had stopped at the health food store which I do a few times a year. I found the Pamona Pectin I wanted to try for sugar free jams/jellies and they had carob covered pleanuts on sale! In the check out line I snipped open the carob peanuts as I was wondering if I wanted one bag or more being there'd be 2 of us consuming them. (It pays to have finger nail clippers on my key chain!) Boy was that a GOOD move! I really REALLY liked it so ran to the aisle and got 2 more bags. I was nice and left 1 bag for someone else of course! ;) So I ended up with 3 - 3 1/2 # bags of them for $7.99 each bag. That's a far cry cheaper than 3 oz of sugar free chocolate at the store for $1.48 - 1.69! We'll have these for a long time as I've put 2 bags and 2 quart jars of them in the freezer. With the way the heat melts chocolate these days they'll keep nicely there and I have a few out for snacks. I also decided I need to stop by the health food store more often as I'd LOVE to find the carob covered cashews and almonds on sale too!

A kind person posted this DIY copycat spice mix that resembles Lawry's on a recipe group. I thought you might like it also. I'm going to start with eliminating the sugar altogether and if it really needs it, I'll try a packet of Truvia or Slenda sweetner. Hopefully we will enjoy it without any sweetner. It looks to be a good one and I had quit using so much Lawry's due to the sugar.

Copycat Lawry's Seasoned Salt

2 tablespoons salt
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon cornstarch

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and mix well.
Pour the blend into an empty spice bottle to store.
Be sure to label the bottle!

I hope you all have a good day! I'm finally back on line and getting caught back up so hope to be here regularly again! I've missed blogging!

Lady Bug Kidded!

The last few weeks have been rough ones as far as things go for Lady Bug. We have some not-so-nice neighbors who are city-minded and do-as-I-please-regardless types. They built their house and now a "play barn" next to our barn which has always housed livestock. The 26th of June they had a wedding reception in their barn for a son and after dark set of illegal fireworks NEXT TO MY BARN! There was a major goat stampede and escape. Lady, late-term pregnant, managed to end up wedged down between 2 50-gallon feed barrels and the wall and was injured. She has a break in her leg and a broken tail, possible back injuries, and a lot of soft tissue injuries so is 3-legged lame. She was extremely (severely) swollen from the ribs back when I found her Sunday morning and you could no longer distinguish her udder. I really thought I was losing the pregnancy and possibly Lady Bug, it was that bad.

After a couple LONG discussions with an experienced goat vet, I was given instructions. He really felt she needed kept under 24/7 watch due to the pregnancy and some time for swelling to subside. So I went with his game plan as it made lots of sense. He was available if I had questions, etc. Just call and he'd give the info to the next vet on call so they could pass along what was going on and actions taken.

Lady became a house goat and she's more than happy to serve the position! She was only a couple days old when we got her and she started here in the house and has always enjoyed coming in for a visit and felt she belonged inside! So she's quite content to have her home back. I was worried about her being stressed from separation from the herd but she shows no concern over that. She just wants to be with me and I'm to stay in her sight. Treats are expected and she LOVES fruit flavored cheap pop tarts! She also took right to using papers at the door for piddles and a lot of berry "downloads".

On the 2nd, following Friday, Lady Bug was stable enough to transport to the vet and she needed to be seen as far as my gut feeling was directing. The decisions amongst the vets was they prefered tonot stress her at all so the kids had ample time to develop their lungs and important last-minute pregnancy development such as suck reflex, etc. She did get a magnetic treatment for the soft tissue of her leg/thigh and he felt she had a broken tail and pastern.

Lady had moved to the house and now needed watched so she could have assistance kidding due to the muscle damage and her lameness. Her pain level did go down except in the one leg. There was concern over her being able to push the kids out and concern over the kids.

Yesterday I had a doctors appointment and shortly after we got home Lady kidded successfully. She was able to push the first out fine and then she and Candi, mini Aussie, immediately went to work cleaning up the black doeling. What a cutie she is with white marks on both sides, a spot on her withers and a star on her forehead. She also has frosted ears, muzzle and tail with a white tip on her tail. Her sides have random frosted hairs that are most concentrated on her shoulders.

The 2nd doeling is a buckskin which means she's tan on the back half of her body and black to the front. She also has a star and tan eye bars and a few frosted hairs on her ears and muzzle. She's much smaller than the firstborn. I have concerns over her as she's not doing near as well. Her sack was full of greenish-yellowish fluid with some dark specks. This isn't normal and isn't good! She's at high risk of pneumonia and becoming septic. I took her right to the bathroom and bathed her off well as I suspect it's body waste in the sack. At this point she's progressing much slower than the first born. I'm giving her colostrum frequently and monitoring her closely. She's had a large drop of corn syrup to help get her sugar level up as she was doing a bit of trembling. She's very tiny and light weight. In the photo, she's laying by Lady's udder and Lady is looking at her.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed the tiny doeling can make it. I'm also glad Lady has kidded so the hormonal change can revert back to non pregnant so we can further determine if she needs more medical care or what the next goal will be for her. I keep wanting her to get better faster, but reality is that breaks take time to heal.

I also had to make a decision as to whether to splint Lady's tail straight down. She can no longer lift it but can flag it hanging down. My thoughts were that being it's broken and not going to be completely functional that it might just be better if it's slightly to the side. Then she can pee and poop without hitting her tail. Then IF she's to be rebred that process might be easier for her. As it is, the hairs partially fall over just enough to do some protecting of the perineal area.

So, we have a healing and yet lame doe who is a wonderful momma to her twin doelings who are CUTE CUTE CUTE! And I'll be continuing to cut a jungle and bring Lady browse to eat. She prefers the maple and grape leaves over the "salad". I'm surprised how much a Nigerian Dwarf can consume in a day's time!

Everyone needs a house goat, don't they?!

Some Special Days for July

Today, July 13th, is National French Fries Day! I'm all for this one! I like the steak fries best for white potatoes but I also love the sweet potato fries. I didn't have very good luck making polenta fries but the flavor was good. How do you like your fries best?

I've missed several great celebrations, but there are still plenty more left to enjoy for the month! I shall get into the swing and enjoy some! I better get some more ice cream made too!

July Daily Celebrations
July 1: Creative Ice Cream Flavour Day, National Gingersnap Day
July 2: National Anisette Day
July 3: National Chocolate Wafer Day, Eat Beans Day
July 4: National Barbequed Spareribs Day
July 5: National Apple Turnover Day
July 6: National Fried chicken Day
July 7: National Strawberry Sundae Day
July 8: National Chocolate with Almonds Day
July 9: National Sugar Cookie Day
July 10: National Pina Colada Day, Pick blueberries Day
July 11: National Blueberry Muffin Day
July 12: National Pecan Day
July 13: National French Fries Day, Beans ‘n’ Franks Day
July 14: National Grand Marnier Day, Macaroni Day
July 15: National Tapioca Pudding Day
July 16: National Corn Fritters Day
July 17: National Peach Ice Cream Day
July 18: National Caviar Day
July 19: National Daiquiri Day
July 20: National Lollipop Day, National Hot Dog Day, National Ice Cream Soda Day, Fortune Cookie Day
July 21: National Ice Cream Day, National Junk Food Day
July 22: National Penuche Fudge Day
July 23: National Vanilla Ice Cream Day
July 24: National Tequila Day
July 25: National Hot Fudge Sundae Day
July 26: National Coffee Milkshake Day
July 27: National Crème Brulee Day, National Scotch Day
July 28: National Milk Chocolate
July 29: Cheese Sacrifice Day
July 30: National Cheesecake Day
July 31: National Raspberry Cake Day, Cotton Candy Day, Jump for Jelly Beans Days

July Weekly Celebrations
1st Week: National Canned Luncheon Meat Week

July Monthly Celebrations
National Baked Beans Month
National Bison Month
National Culinary Arts Moth
National Grilling Month
National Hot Dog Month
National Ice Cream Month
National July Belongs to Blueberries Month

Trigger (Roy Roger's Horse)

Such memories..... This was a tv show that I didn't miss if I could help it. I HAD to watch the show for Trigger and Buttermilk (Dale's light buckskin)! When they died, they were stuffed and in the Roy Roger's Museum, which closed in 2009. Now Trigger, Buttermilk and a few other things are being auctioned off in Manhattan in a week. They expect Trigger to bring in some fancy change to say the least! Buttermilk, who was my fav, will be much cheaper and is expected to bring only about $30,000! Anyone have any spare change laying around that they could send me?

You can read the article at: http://www.popeater.com/2010/07/09/trigger-auction-roy-rogers-buttermilk-bullet/?icid=mainhtmlws-main-ndl2link6http%3A%2F%2Fwww.popeater.com%2F2010%2F07%2F09%2Ftrigger-auction-roy-rogers-buttermilk-bullet%2F

I'm Back!

FINALLY!

A storm took out my modem and damaged my AOL software. I've not been a happy computer "geek"! Or would that be a computerista? Computer addict?

Whatever I am, I'm more broke as it ended up being expensive and highly frustrating. I have a new modem, new software, new phone, new cords and splicer, and a "new used" computer. The used computer I got to get me through also couldn't get me on line successfully!

I can be really patient most of the time, but my computer time isn't something to be messed with at all, ever!

I'm glad to be back and have most of the settings worked out, etc. I'll be back with a homestead update REAL soon. Thanks for sticking with me! I appreciate you all lots and missed computing!