What happens when you make your kim chi with half green cabbage and half red cabbage?

You get hot pink kim chi!  Yep, now you know.  It looks weird, but is still tasty.  On the up side my super picky, ultra-glitter girl was actually willing to try kim chi due to it’s color and didn’t think it was the worst thing ever.  So, you may want to make some pink kimchi if you have a picky princess girl, too! I don’t make mine as hot as traditional kim chi, so mine is more savory instead of hot or sweet.

It's the Picklemeister Meisterpickle!

I recently got a picklemeister (better known in our house as the Picklemeister Meisterpickle) to make larger batches of fermented goodness.  I usually use the mason jar/water bag method of fermenting for smaller batches but wanted to try something new and in larger batches.  The picklemeister has an air lock on it, which has been nice while making sauerkraut.  Air lock = no skimming!  However, as you can see, I have the sauerkraut in the basement, because there is still a bit of the sauerkraut fermentation odor, though GREATLY reduced using the picklemeister.  The picklemister can also be found under the name of Lacto Master.

Why all this focus on the veggies bubbling away in our house?  It’s time for Menu Plan Monday, of course!  This week’s Gluten Free Menu Swap is being hosted by In My Box.  The ingredient/theme for the week is DIY/MYO (do it yourself/make your own).  Love, love, LOVE the theme!  It’s my favorite thing and I can’t wait to see what resources everyone else has on their posts today.  As often as I can I do make my own spice blends (why pay more for what you can blend better yourself?), homemade “mixes”, make homemade coconut yogurt, freezer cooking, gardening, etc.  This past summer I was lucky enough to bring my love of MYO one step further by becoming a certified Master Food Preserver, so that I can share my passion for preserving with others more effectively.  This spring we are planning on also getting chickens, which should be another crazy-fun adventure for us.  I’m am so lucky to have hobbies I can justify as taking care of my family!

Time for the Gluten Free Menu Swap!

Most of this week’s menu will be based around what my oldest girl and I need to pack for the 7th Grade Laurentian trip next week, so that I can freeze it ahead.  I already have a few things together, but I really need to get moving on the rest of our food supplies!

Monday: Play Practice/Dance Class/Boy Scouts

Apricot Sauced Chicken, Oven Roasted Potatoes and Sesame Broccoli (cook up 2 chicken plain fillets for trip.  Freeze)

Tuesday: Play Practice/Piano Lessons (need portable dinner)

Pancakes, homemade apple-turkey sausage and fruit (pack and freeze some for the trip)

Wednesday:  Mommy help in 2nd grade class/Play Practice/Dance Class/Youth Group

Taco Salad with all the fixings (pack up some as taco packs/freeze for trip)

Thursday: Opening night of school play

Spaghetti and meatballs, GF bread sticks and salad (freeze a portion of spaghetti, meatballs and bread sticks for the trip)

Friday: Mommy volunteer in school library/School Play

Pizza and salad (freeze mini pizzas for the trip)

Saturday: School Play/make and pack anything else needed for the Laurentian trip/have an extra teen overnight

Hamburgers, coleslaw, oven fries

Sunday: Mommy teaches Sunday School

Not sure of my plan yet, but probably left over day…