In My Kitchen February, looking back on January 2025.

I just took a look back at the intro for the January 2025, In My Kitchen and I have to say, while I was so surprised that January arrived so quickly, I am not sorry to see her leave! Turns out East Texas had a very cold month. January is usually our one month of winter, but yikes, this was a cold one! So in spite of not much of anything new happening around here, I am still happy to be joining Sherry for In My Kitchen!  

January made sure we knew she was here! 

For almost two solid weeks we had below freezing weather each evening and throughout the night, with just above freezing during the day. Instantly I remembered why I needed to leave Montana and Wyoming! 

Morning Cardinals waiting their turn at the bird feeders. 

We went through a lot of propane to keep the Tiny House warm, and a lot of sunflower seeds to keep our feathered friends fed! On the morning when this photo was snapped by my hubby, we had about 2 inches of snow on the ground. We have been cultivating a meaningful relationship with all the birds since we arrived a little over a year ago. I appreciate how they help to keep the bugs under control, during bug season... 

Our chickens had no choice but to learn to work together in the cold. 

Sometimes integrating two different aged flocks never happens, but now they get along well enough to just let them be! The second group to join us, will be laying within the month, which will be quite handy with egg prices climbing...They get as many kitchen scraps as possible right now to keep feed costs under control, but next month, I plan on going back to making my own chicken feed and using a three day ferment, to make it even healthier for them. I fed our Montana flock the same way, and boy did we get the eggs! 

And, 

I only bought one new item for the house, this cute pure soap dispenser, now in the bathroom. I actually wanted it for the kitchen, but my homemade dish soap will not dispense...so the bathroom got a quick and easy upgrade! 

I did take the smaller soap pump from the bathroom, a slick black model for the kitchen. While it has a smaller holding capacity, it has a great pump! Washing dishes as often as I do, I need something easy and handy for the dish soap. 

We had a lot of down time, due to the cold temps, as well as no internet service. 

Currently our provider is Star Link and while we love it, it does require line of sight for service. On many of our really cold day, with thick cloud cover, there was no line of sight! We actually are hoping to change over to fiber service, once it has been completely installed on our road. While they have been working on it for some time now, I noticed a sign to call for service! I must admit, underground fiber service will be nice. Because even our cell phones don't work after the Star Link battery goes dead...

Now let's take a look back at January...

I did manage to produce seven new recipes, as well as upgrade 12 from the archives. Which really surprised me! because, ironically I did not feel I was that productive during the cold snap. Also I did a bit of reorganization in the kitchen, allowing me to bring in a small toaster oven from storage. I can now bake, small bakes right here in the Tiny House. That is until we can get the RV propane oven fixed. Currently it will not keep a pilot light going...turns out, I do a lot of baking. Oh and the biggest news from my January kitchen? I have produced a 100% whole wheat sourdough starter and baked a fairly successful first loaf! 

New recipes roundup!

Salad Dressings to please the whole family! 

Nineteen of our best salad dressings and vinaigrettes, all in one place. Salad dressing is one item I do not purchase at the market, and haven't for a few years now. Which led to the creation of most of these! In all honesty, I don't miss purchased dressings at all.

The Recipes we Make on Repeat, to Keep our Pantry Stocked. 

I would estimate that a third of the cooking I do each week is to restock our pantry. But, it is not as much work as it sounds. It is not like going to the store and having to make a large purchase and take bag after bag of food home. Why? Not all the pantry recipes become empty at the same time. And of course some are a two minute task, with only one or two needing a bigger investment of my time.

Chock Full of Vegetables Sipping Soup. 

I have a hard time getting enough nutrition. Honestly it is as simple as that, why is not the issue. The easiest way to solve the dilemma is for the foods I do eat to be the best (nutritionally) that they can be. And here recently (yep in the cold snap!) I really enjoyed having a soup I can sip, from a mug. It started with the Mushroom Potato Soup from last month...there will be more of these.  

Sharing Our History, for Homestead Sunday. 

While I was purging excess (and honestly unused...) dishes and such from the kitchen, I realized that along with the kitchenware, there was another item going into the donation boxes. Our own history. It is silent of course, but without a doubt each box of donations dropped off at a thrift store, includes some family history of the how and why that item was purchased or acquired...

Creamed Potatoes and Peas. 

This one is from my childhood, another beloved dish at the table. With no written recipe only the memories. I have a few of these, that I have taken the memory of them being made, by both my mom and my Grandmother Carter, and written it down. It was Grandmother who instilled a love of Creamed Potatoes and Peas in me. They were a favorite when the main dish did not include gravy to pour over mashed potatoes. 

Southern Turnip Greens.

Greens are one vegetable I hope to eat more of. Plus they are so easy to grow. Greens were not served very often in my childhood home, and especially a bitter green, which turnip greens can be. When the cold snap hit, we harvested what we could from our dwindling garden and I cooked turnip greens for the first time! But it won't be my last. Mildly bitter, these are so so good! And the pot liquor is too!

Make Ahead Meatballs, Two Varieties All Beef or Beef and Italian Sausage. 

I got the second variety of meatballs completed and added to the original post. while technically this could be considered an upgrade, I am adding it to the new list, because it was my intention all along to have two varieties in one post. I love having these at the ready for the busy days when cooking is the last thing I want to do after a day in the garden. 

And now a bit of show-off-y-ness!

This loaf is NOT perfect in any way, and honestly I haven't even tasted it. But this is the first loaf of 100% whole wheat sourdough bread that has come out as successful as this loaf. I know I have a long way to go with development of an even softer, higher risen loaf, one that will be easy to cut and enjoyable to eat. But I do have just a little bit of pride in this new journey in Sourdough baking!

Updated to include, it slices great and made a wonderful breakfast of toast!

Thanks so much for stopping by today!

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