Sausage!!!!

We decided this year to try to make our own sausage and meat sticks from our wild game! Wow a little ambitious but we know lots of people who do and thought "Why not give it a whirl!" Tyler got a doe opening weekend and we got busy!

First thing first...trimming up all of the meat!

 You want all of the silver skin, tendons, and blood clots out!

Remember to keep your meat super cold! It is so much easier to work with!

Next grinding.. We only have a hand grinder. I don't recommend this if you have a lot of meat, but it's what we have so we worked with it!

The big problem was if the meat warmed up it would gum up in the grinder!

If we had an electric grinder we could have worked much faster but we had to keep popping it in the freezer!

Wild game is so lean that you mix in pork fat to make good sausage. We did about 80/20-90/10. You can get the fat at any butcher or if you know in advance most grocery stores will save it for you.

Hunter taking a cake batter break with Grammy! HaHa he cracks me up!

You first use the coarse grind plate to grind everything. Then you season the meat and add the cure if you are smoking any of it. We used a kit that we bought at the sports store, Some grocery stores carry them also!

Most even come with casings for stuffing your sausage!

Then regrind the meat with the fine plate.

Last add on the stuffing attachment and start filling your casings.

We made pepperoni  sticks, smoked polish, and bulk breakfast sausage.

SORRY I'm so bad I forgot to keep taking pictures! HaHa I'm still getting used to blogging!

It was actually so much fun! My husband and I spent the whole day together laughing! My favorite was the breakfast sausage and I wish we would have made much more. The kids love the pepperoni sticks, and we didn't do such a great job on the polish because we messed up the smoking a little. All in all it was a great experience and with a little more practice I think we will get it down!! I really look forward to doing it again and hope my boys have some more luck this hunting season.

Thank You and Remember:

Believe in yourself! You're worth it!

Babies!! More like 1 very special Baby!

Since having my son 4 1/2 years ago I have never one time had the urge to have another baby. I LOVE being a Mom more then anything but I just felt happy with the two kids that I have. WELL that all changed yesterday when I met my oh-so beautiful new little cousin. I don't know what it is about her because I have held lots and lots of babies over the last few years, some of them super special and I love them to pieces but not one single "oh my gosh I want another baby" feeling ever came over me. Until that precious little Adley stole a little piece of my heart! 

Hunter really loved her! See his little hand!

I left Ivy and Nate's last night totaly questioning my decision to be done having babies. WHAT I never expected that! I think it's because she is so tiny and perfect and brand new! Don't get all excited I'm not going to try to have a baby right now because I still have to think of my dreams. I really want to go to school in the fall and I know I wouldn't if I had a baby. But for the first time in 4 1/2 years it is on my mind.

I love her so much already and can't wait to watch her grow! Welcome to our family little Adley, We love you!

Steve has wanted another Baby all along! She isn't helping, HaHaHaHa!!!!

Thank You and Remember:

Always Believe in Yourself! You're worth it!