What do I know for sure?
|I feel like the earth is moving under my feet. Everything is shifting.
Maybe it’s the news. I am a news junkie — mostly because I believe it’s important to be informed about our world and the people in it. Brexit debates (or lack thereof), unpredictable Presidential tweets, trade wars, climate change reports, droughts and hurricanes unsettle me. Do you feel that way sometimes?
Maybe it’s that our sons have moved out on their own to attend university this fall. Suddenly, our house is quiet, the heaps of shoes and stuff dropped at the door have largely disappeared (now I can only blame Kevin!), and the leftovers have piled up in the fridge because I haven’t adjusted to cooking for two people instead of four!
September feels like a pivot time in my life. How does it feel for you? September brings the great winding down of summer, and subsequently new beginnings and returns to old routines.
To be honest, I’m looking for a little bit of comfort, certainty and confidence as I find my place in this new reality.
What do I know for sure?
I know that Kevin and I will figure out the “empty nest” thing and our family will create new routines and ways to be together. Although we miss the kids, we are excited for them and their “adulting” adventures. The upside? Every night can be date night at our house if we want it to be!
In this topsy turvy world, “home” is a powerful word for me — it’s my refuge, a safe place where I find connection and belonging.
We can’t control the weather, the global economy or trade wars, but we can create home, safety, connection, belonging.
The kitchen is the hub of our home, not only because it’s physically at the center of our house, but the comforting aroma of good food draws us all in — yup, the boys came home for Sunday dinner last week, yay!
If there’s one thing I can control, one thing I can be confident in, it’s the food I purchase and put into my body. I have 100% control over where and what I buy and how I choose to prepare it in my kitchen. Nourishing my body feeds my soul.
This is what we offer to you at Pine View Farms — peace of mind. When you purchase our meat, we can tell you exactly how that animal was raised and how your meat was produced — and we guarantee our meat 100%. You can be 100% confident in the food you feed your family. It’s one less thing for you worry about.
As I write this post, it’s rainy and cool outside. It feels like a good day to dust off my Instant Pot and cook some bone broth. Here’s my long-simmered bone broth recipe to bring some warmth to your home:
PINE VIEW FARMS’ BONE BROTH RECIPE
1 bag Pine View Farms beef bones or chicken bones
3-4 carrots, scrubbed
3-4 stalks of celery, washed
1 onion, whole
2 bay leaves
Salt and peppercorns to taste
4-5 star anise pods (for chicken broth only)
Add soup bones, seasonings and vegetables to your stock pot or Instant Pot. Fill with water so bones are covered. (follow guidelines on your Instant Pot for how full it should be).
Stovetop method: bring the pot to a boil, then reduce to simmer for 4-8 hours. Let cool a bit and remove bones and vegetables from the pot, straining solids for clear broth. You can save the meat from the bones to add back to the soup later.
Instant Pot: Seal the pot and set to “soup” setting. It should take about an hour to make broth. De-pressurize naturally. Let cool and strain solids for clear broth, saving the meat from the bones, if you wish.
Time Saver: Buy our long-simmered bone broth at our farm store or at health food stores in Saskatchewan!
You can use the broth as a soup base, in risottos, stews, gravy and sauces or as a soothing hot drink.
I sip broth on cool days instead of tea or coffee. Change it up by grating a bit of ginger or lemon zest or adding some fresh herbs to your mug of hot broth.
We hope that September is good to you, that you find peace and confidence in the return to Fall routines and opportunities for new beginnings!