Yesterday, I went to town in my truck with the shiny new exhaust system, and got my dogfood, sunflower seed for the birds, and grocery items I like at Walmart; then on over to Aldi's and got the rest of my food for the month.  There were 28 bags or large bulky items to haul into the house, but I am now done for this month; no further shopping will be required.  I am getting pretty good at guesstimating just what I need for one month, plus I always have a few things left over.  I'm baking cranberry nut bread now:

              Cranberry Bread  (two loaves)

Peel and cut up 3 oranges, put them in a food processor and pulverize (enough to make 1-1/2 cups).  I also took some of the orange peel and separately minced it, just to make a tablespoon and added this to the orange puree.  Make cranberry sauce with one pkg. of frozen cranberries (follow the directions on pkg.) and put through strainer to make jellied cranberry sauce.  Save this cranberry sauce as a separate dish, it's the leftover cranberry pulp that you need.  You should have a good cupful or more of pulp.  Set the oranges and cranberry pulp aside.  To the orange puree, add 4 tblspns. canola oil, 2 tblspns. water and 2 beaten eggs.  If desired, chop walnuts or pecans enough to make 3/4 cup.  In a large bowl, place 4 cups flour, 2 cups sugar, 3 tsp. baking powder, 1 tsp. baking soda, 1 tsp. salt, stir well.  Heavily grease and flour 2 loaf pans, set aside.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Stir in orange juice mixture, cranberry pulp, and nuts (if desired) all at once, just enough to moisten.  Divide batter into two loaf pans and bake for one hour approx. or until wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Turn out on board and place loaf on its side to cool.  Wrap and store (but not for long!)

The temp. dived to below zero last night, and I put an extra puffy quilt on my bed, so that makes 4 blankets on top of me, plus I am now wearing my long winter underwear that I got from Lands' End.  I am probably going to keep them on and only take them off to wash them.  We used to turn on the gas fireplace, which put out the extra heat needed to keep the temp around 70 deg. at least, but this year, with the prices, etc. - I am trying to tough it out at 60 - 62 deg. on these especially cold days.  The underfloor heating system continues to do an excellent job; it is toasty on the feet. 

The total mouse kill number is now 17 or 18.  It will be quiet for a day or two, and then a mouse will enter the house from out there in the woods; usually, he is not trap-wary, and will blunder right in.  We don't know how they get in, but we do know where they like to run, so that's where the traps are most effective.  I am even getting used to dealing with their dead bodies. 

I also do a lot more baking these days.  Oh, I made a venison roast the other day.  Here it is:  

                         Venison Roast

Place the venison in a large pan with a close-fitting lid.  Add 1/2 cup of water in the bottom.  Sprinkle the roast with 1/2 tsp. Lawry's Seasoned Salt, 1/2 tsp. kosher salt, 1/2 tsp. lemon pepper, 1/2 tsp. celery salt.  Slather on 1 can of cream of mushroom soup, place four strips of bacon across the venison, cover and roast slowly at 300 degrees for about 2 hours, or a bit more for a larger hunk of meat.  My hunk of venison was probably about 4 lbs.

I made candied yams in a frypan, using a pkg. of yam spice bought at the store and just followed the directions; I also made homemade applesauce with a bunch of apples that were getting spotty and soft.  I put in white sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon, and barely any water in the pan.  Then I made mashed potatoes.  When the roast was taken out and cut into serving-size pieces, I made gravy with flour and water in the roasting pan.  This meal was worthy of a holiday feast and it put 2 lbs. on me overnight. 

By the way, I lost four pounds last month, but I probably mentioned that already.  I am now doing penance for the wonderful venison feast.