My Kitchen Is A Lab, And I Am The Guinea Pig

My husband commented one time about my kitchen being a lab. I thought about it for 2 seconds and realized he was right.

On any given day, I may have a concoction going, or there may be several things brewing around the house.

Today, I am fermenting cabbage that will hopefully turn into sauerkraut in a couple of days. I had sourdough starter sitting on the counter to make bread with today. Pasta was made this morning and is cooking in the slow cooker with a cheese sauce over it. There are a few other things going on as well.

Got out my big dehydrator and am drying peppers and fruit to put into my cereal. (The peppers will probably be for my bird.)

So much fun. So time consuming though. But it will be worth it.

Oh, I also have my oil box in the kitchen, and regularly reach for my oils for whatever the need is, whether cooking or for some other reason.

Last week, I made yogurt and kefir. What to make next week? Maybe ricotta cheese?

A word of caution though, for those of you who are like me in this area. Cultures like yogurt and kefir must be in separate places while they are culturing. The strains of the cultures do go through the air and can land in the containers of the different things that are growing on your counters.

I used to grow a ginger bug. I kept it in my den, so that it wouldn't become weak because of something else I am growing. I did have kombucha growing and kept it in the same room as the cream cheese I was making. Not sure if any cross contamination went on.

Bulgarian Yogurt

Homemade cheese being brushed
with brine

Red Cabbage in Perfect Pickler jar

Homemade Kefir

Lemon Soap

Did you know that you can make soap in a slow cooker? It is called 'Hot Processed' soap, and I have yet to make it. It requires grain alcohol, which is kind of expensive. I now have the slow cooker to make it in and will have to try it sometime. Will have to see if I can find a good deal on quality grain alcohol sometime soon.