About Tricia

I am Tricia. Momma of nine, homeschooler, artist, foodie and maker of all kinds of things. It's a pleasure to share here our family homesteading adventures, the things we make, and what inspires our days. Read more about my family and work here. Thanks for visiting!

Author Archive | Tricia

Meatless Friday Recipe: Spinach pesto

By on February 22, 2013 in Meatless Friday, Recipes

I love pesto, yes I do.  Basil almond pesto is my favorite but we don’t have enough basil during the winter months and so there are many other types that we like to make.  

A few years ago I got into experimenting with different greens in pesto, kale pesto is probably our least favorite though not exactly bad but spinach runs a close second to basil.  It is slightly different but good and spinach is inexpensive to buy organic.  I have lots and lots of baby greens sprouting up in the garden right now so I hope to experiment with those in a few weeks!

Spinach pesto

3 large handfuls of spinach, washed 
3 cloves of garlic
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 juiced lemon
1/2 cup slightly roasted pecans 
1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
1 teenie pinch of cayenne
2 tspn salt
1 tsp pepper

put the spinach, garlic, cayenne and lemon in the food processor and combine until roughly chopped but not too pureed

add the pecans and parmesan cheese

process while adding the olive oil slowly until pureed

toss with your pasta or put on fish, seafood what have you.  I like to dip bread in it : )

Enjoy your meal outside instead of slaving away in the kitchen

Every week during lent on Friday I will be sharing a meatless meal with you all and I am inviting everyone to link up to a meatless recipe on their own blog.

The only rules are:

1. You must post a link to the actual recipe on your blog and not to your front page.
2. Please place a link in your blog post back here so everyone can find all of our recipes.
3. Only post one recipe per week.

Thats it!

If you enjoyed this post, please consider leaving a comment or follow me by email at the top right hand of the screen to have future posts sent to you. Tricia (Crunchy Catholic Momma)

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Stash Bash – Thrift store sweater to baby sleep sack

By on February 21, 2013 in Stash Bash

I’ve never met a crafter without a stash of some kind. This year my goal is to use up all the craft supplies I have spent money on that are taking up mental and physical space in my life. 


It has been quite cold here this last week and I am wondering if our late winter will stick around for bit or if I will be able to plant the spring garden soon.  My kitchen has been turned into a plant nursery with all of our tropicals which can not survive a freeze potted up and placed by the back sliding doors.  All plants outside that need care are covered with blankets, pillow cases and anything I could use to cover them.

A few nights ago I picked up Matthew for his 5 AM feeding only it was 2?  When I put him in bed with me I noticed his little legs and feet where icy because he kicked off his blankets.  Time to knit him a new sleep sack since he recently outgrew the one I made him as a newborn but how long will that take?  No, I am too busy with spring planting time on my heels for that plus I am still clicketty clacking away at his Peurperium sweater.

I remembered an angora sweater dress that I had stashed away to make into a blanket because you can’t make angora into diaper soakers due to the long fibers.  It was perfect for a sleeper.  I washed it and dried it and it shrunk almost 40%.   I removed the collar and cut off the sleeves at the seam.  Voila, he slept as cozy as a little mouse.

I need to finish the arm holes and not sure if I should just blanket stitch around the raw edges or pick up stitches and make the arm holes smaller?  For right now, it works and is big enough to work for a long time and no matter how much he kicks, he can’t kick them off : )

Oh, I will be posting a no meat meal tomorrow.  I would love to see your recipe for this friday!

So what have you been up to? I love to see what you come up with. I have added the Mr Linky to the bottom of this post for you to link up your Stash Bash projects.

Here’s what to do. There are no rules. 
Just use what you have and try to not buy new supplies, unless you need it to complete a project that you are making from stuff you already have in your stash. 
Take a 

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