JrHomesteader

🥞Pollen Pancakes🌾 Disclaimer: This is a slightly revamped draft post from 2021, so I apologize for the less-than-great content. I will be posting last year's attempt soon. Cattail pollen came into season recently, inspiring me to create a unique twist on our traditional pancake recipe. Here's how I did it: I collected cattail pollen by shaking the heads into a bottle and later sifting it to ensure a smooth pancake texture, removing any unwanted bits. I incorporated the cattail pollen into our standard pancake batter, replacing a portion of the flour. This infusion added a distinctive and earthy flavor to the pancakes. To enhance the taste and introduce vibrant colors, I included honeyberries from our garden. These berries perfectly complemented the cattail pollen, creating a delicious and visually appealing combination. For an extra layer of flavor, I cooked the pancakes on a griddle with bacon grease. This resulted in a perfect balance between a golden, crispy exterior and a...

 🍁Huge Maple Syrup Crystal💎 There has been a crystal forming at the bottom of the maple syrup jar in our fridge. Earlier today, my sister decided to try removing it. She began by running alternating hot and cold water over the outside of the jar, being careful not to switch from hot to cold too quickly as it could crack the jar. Then she attempted to microwave the jar. Unfortunately, this caused the jar to break, but it provided us with a closer look at the ENORMOUS crystal. It is essentially homemade rock candy and tastes just like it, albeit with a delicious maple flavor!      view a 3d render of the crystal here

🌿 Another Edible Weed Lambs Quarters is an edible weed found around the world. It is known by many names including the following: Melde, Goosefoot, Wild Spinach, and Pigweed. It can grow over 3 feet tall in the right conditions but the younger leaves near the top of the plant taste better as they are more tender and less bitter. The leaf looks similar to a water bird's webbed foot, hence the name Goosefoot. There is a pinkish/white powdery substance on the underside of the leaves/stems with makes it not so desirable for consumption straight from the ground. Using my brilliant sister's suggestions( The Skilled Chef ), I made a tasty Asian dish with them😋. I first cut the leaves off the plant(you can use your fingers if you want) and dunked them in a bowl of tap water to remove the powder and any dirt that had collected on the leaves. These were than blanched for about 30-50 seconds in a pot of boiling water. I added chopped peanuts, peanut butter, sesame seeds, chili paste, ga...