Tiny Home

I am 90% sure this is the sort of thing we are doing to the Yellowstone Trailer. 

It is so rotted, we might as well start over, insulate it well, & retire in it!

Homemade Maple Sugar

I took about 3 cups of last years maple syrup for my 1st attempt to make Maple Sugar.

I watched several YouTube videos on how to do it, 

so I felt confident enough to call myself a "YouTube Pro"!

Basically I just put it into a pan, brought it to a boil & kept it at a low boil being extra careful not to burn it.

I stirred constantly for about an hour, until it got thicker,

& thicker

& thicker

Until I couldn't stir it anymore.

I spread the finished sugar on a cookie sheet to cool, and crumbled the large pieces using a pastry blender.

After it cooled I put it in my Bullet blender, about 3/4 cup at a time.

I didn't think of it until later but I could have left it chunky & put it in an old salt or pepper grinder.

It surprised me that 3 cups of syrup made about 3 cups of sugar.  

With all of the reducing of the syrup I thought it would end up being less than what I started with.

I will use this in my coffee, on cereal, in baking or in any recipe that calls for regular white sugar.

I really like maple shortbread cookies...mmmm!

Dutch Oven Lasagna

Ingredients

1 Lb. Bulk Italian Sausage

1 med. Onion, chopped

3-15oz. cans Tomato Sauce

2 tsp. Dried Basil

½ tsp. Salt

2 Cups shredded Mozzarella

1/15oz. container Ricotta Cheese

1 Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese

15 Uncooked Lasagna Noodles

**DO NOT USE THE “OVEN READY NOODLES”

Remove casings & cook sausage and onion in skillet over medium heat 6 to 8 minutes, stirring, & drain. Stir in tomato sauce, basil and salt.  Simmer 5 min.

Mix 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese and the ricotta and Parmesan cheeses. (Refrigerate remaining mozza cheese)

3 Spoon 1/4 of the sausage mixture into large slow cooker; top with 5 noodles, broken into pieces to fit. Spread with 1/2 of the cheese mixture and 1/4 of the sausage mixture. Top with 5 noodles, remaining cheese mixture and 1/4 of the sausage mixture. Top with remaining 5 noodles and remaining sausage mixture.

4 Cover and cook with 15 coals on top & 9 coals on the bottom  2-3 hours or until noodles are tender.

5 Sprinkle the top of the lasagna with remaining mozza cheese. Cover and let stand about 10 minutes or until cheese is melted. 

Dutch Oven Cooking...at work for co-workers!

My co-workers were very curious about the "Dutch Oven Cooking" I talk about.

They bought all of the supplies & asked if I would cook them lunch.

Heck Yah!!!

Roast Chicken, potatoes & carrots, cooked in my dutch oven, with charcoal out the back door! 

It was "a GREAT Day at Superior Tile"!

Choosing an Awning for the Vintage Trailer

We wanted an awning for our recently purchased vintage travel trailer. 

The paint on the trailer is in great shape, so it will remain the tan & white with black trim.  

I may add some custom vinyl decals to the camper at a later time.  (made on my Cricut) 

 These were my choices that matched the trailer:

Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner!!!!!  I had a "Girl Camp Canada" member make this for me, & it sits in a box until spring.  I can't wait to see it on the trailer.  It is tan & white with black piping, just like the trailer.