The Country Wife Recommends…Holiday Baking Essentials {Ingredients–Healthified!}

November 27, 2017December 4, 2017 - The Country Wife Leave a comment

So, last week I sort of left you hanging. Sorry about that.

But to be honest, I wasn’t sure how well you’d take this third and final installment of “The Country Wife Recommends…Holiday Baking Essentials” post series.

As you can see by the title, we are revisiting my very favorite ingredients from last week and attempting to healthify them. And usually, for most of us, the holidays aren’t so much about healthifiying. It’s about giving yourself a break and enjoying the holiday season and those goodies that come with it.

However, if you’ve been following along with me here at Country Wife Chronicles very long then you also know that I’m on a bit of a real food for real life journey.

And while I will be baking with the ingredients I shared with you last week, I will also be doing some baking with the ingredients I’m sharing with you this week. It’s about moderation and substitutions where possible. It’s about keeping it simple while choosing health.

The Country Wife Recommends…Holiday Baking Essentials {Ingredients}

November 20, 2017December 4, 2017 - The Country Wife 2 Comments

All right, last week was my top 10 absolute, must-have holiday baking tools. This week, we are talking top 10 favorite ingredients in my holiday baking pantry.

I’m not a foodie expert. I haven’t produced a cookbook, and I certainly don’t star in my very own Food Network show.

But I do love to bake.

So while I may not own a bakery or have any chops, so to speak, in the pastry-world, I do have my own personal favorites when it comes to baking. And I can tell you I’m not endorsed by any of the companies whose products I’m sharing with you on the blog. This is just me, in real life, sharing my favorite things with you.

The Country Wife Recommends…Holiday Baking Essentials {Tools}

November 13, 2017November 23, 2017 - The Country Wife Leave a comment

The last time I did a “Country Wife Recommends…” post here on Country Wife Chronicles, I was sharing my very favorite Christian marriage resources with you.

This time, we are taking a bit of a change in direction. Today, we are talking all things holiday baking.

Tis that time of year where you take stock of your pantry and start preparing treats and goodies for the masses. You might be planning your Thanksgiving feast or what dessert you want to bring to the family gathering. Maybe you are starting to think ahead to Christmas and wanting to have everything on hand to make treats for neighbors and friends.

DIY Antique Moulding Coat Rack

November 6, 2017November 5, 2017 - The Country Wife 2 Comments

This week at Country Wife Chronicles I’m throwing a little country rustic DIY your way.

Temperatures are shifting and the jackets have started to make their way out of the closets. So, a DIY wall-mounted coat rack it is. This one is particularly rustic, because it is actually made from some moulding we pulled out of my grandparents’ old farmhouse.

I can’t take full credit for this DIY, of course, because Wildland Man had an awful lot to do with getting this one done. But I’m pretty confident I could have pulled it off all my by myself if I wanted to. It’s that easy.

Enjoying the Great Outdoors {Fall Edition}

October 9, 2017October 9, 2017 - The Country Wife 2 Comments

So, I have to admit, I’ve been in a bit of a writing funk as of lately. I just can’t seem to find the time or the motivation to get my writing days in. Or maybe I’m just a bit consumed with other thoughts at the moment. Either way, writing today was a bit of a struggle.

Wildland Man is gone for work this week and he just so happens to be driving through some beautiful country where he is seeing some amazing fall colors and relishing that crisp autumn air. Since moving to the south the thing I miss THE MOST is the seasonal changes we used to experience when we lived further north.

Fall Mason Jar Decor

October 2, 2017October 2, 2017 - The Country Wife 2 Comments

So…crafting. Hmmm, how do I explain my convoluted relationship with crafting?

I love it.

I hate it.

I wish I were better at it.

I have great ideas for it…just, zero follow-through.

Until today. Cuz today, I kicked crafting’s butt.

How to Freeze Fresh Peaches (without sugar)

September 4, 2017September 5, 2017 - The Country Wife 2 Comments

Not so long ago, here on Country Wife Chronicles, I shared with you my journey to becoming a bit more self-sufficient. And one of the tips I shared with you was to “Learn to preserve.”

Today’s post is a prime example of doing just that. Preserving the yummy, juicy, summery goodness of fresh peaches to enjoy all year long.

And even better, preserving these gorgeous, plump, uber-ripe peaches without any added sugar. Simply natural fresh frozen peaches can’t be beat…

Becoming a Bit More Self-Sufficient {Part 2}

July 31, 2017July 27, 2017 - The Country Wife Leave a comment

Have you ever thought about what era you would have enjoyed living in had you not been born when you were?

Am I alone in this pondering?

Gosh, I hope not. That would just be weird.

Well, I’ve always pictured myself in the days of the pioneer. Maybe it was the joys of playing The Oregon Trail in my childhood, but I could always picture myself as a prairie wife. You know, a real Sarah, Plain & Tall in a Little House on the Prairie setting.

Becoming a Bit More Self-Sufficient {Part 1}

July 24, 2017July 24, 2017 - The Country Wife Leave a comment

I’ve been on a bit of a daydream vacation over the last couple of weeks. I sort of get in these dreamy mindsets whenever Wildland Man is away on a fire. It must be a coping mechanism. And it surely isn’t coincidental that my dreaming of the future almost always involves us being together, not separated during a fire season.

Maybe I should talk to a therapist about these daydreams.

Nah, I’ll just share them with the entire world. Maybe y’all can help me make sense of them 😉

Planning Ahead Series {Part 3}: My Monthly Master Grocery List

July 17, 2017July 13, 2017 - The Country Wife Leave a comment

I’ve always been a planner and list maker. It’s a problem really. I pretty much have an addiction to the satisfactory feeling of crossing things off a list. I’m working on it, I promise.

Add in the fact that I’m the Country Wife here at Country Wife Chronicles and my work-at-home lifestyle and rural living pretty much requires organization and planning ahead.

The past two weeks here at CWC have been all about Planning Ahead.