It's feeling like fall . . .

Yesterday was a beautiful day here. We had the windows open all day long, fresh air, and best of all the day had a feeling of fall.

To me, there is a particular feeling when fall comes around. Like I can feel it in my soul, in my heart, down deep inside. A feeling of peace and comfort, of hotdog roasts and bonfires, of autumn leaves frisking in the wind while the warm sun smiles down upon the fields laden with harvest. There is an uplift that makes your heart sing, swell to near bursting, a feeling of love. A mellow feeling that you are ready for hot apple cider and popcorn balls.

Almost like I can feel the world changing, feel the colors. The sky turns a vibrant shade of blue that replaces summer's washed-out denim blue. The brilliant orange of pumpkins, the dusty yellows of corn. The reds of maple leaves. The deep green of squash and gourds. The brilliant gold of new bales of straw.

There is a feeling of meloncholy, of nostalgia. I am ready for fireplaces crackling, pumpkins, candy corn, all of the trappings of fall. I am ready for long golden buses trundling children to and from school again. Ready for longer nights and shorter days, evenings spent in quiet study, perhaps with a book, perhaps with some sewing, sitting quietly, yet basking in one another's company.

I am ready for warmish days, when you still might need a sweater and cool nights. I am ready for frost that nips at your nose. I am ready for fall.

Which is why it is so strange that I am giving you of all things, a spring recipe today! At our church dinner, I try to take a somewhat different dessert each time. This time, straight from my good friend Denise, who works as a coder at the hospital where I used to work, comes this recipe for Rhubarb Cake. So easy and so wonderful!

Denise's Rhubarb Cake

1 quart rhubarb, cut in chunks (I used frozen)
1 cup granulated sugar
1 box red Jello powder (I used strawberry)

Grease a 9 x 13 pan and place rhubarb in pan. Sprinkle sugar and Jello powder over and shake it around good.

Yellow cake mix and ingredients for fixing

Then mix up your cake mix with your eggs, water and oil. Pour this batter over top of the rhubarb.

1/4 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
3 Tablespoons butter

Cut this together with a pastry cutter and sprinkle over top of cake batter. Bake in 350F oven for at least 30 minutes, I think I baked mine more like 45 minutes.

I really apologize for not having a picture, but just as I was going to take a picture of the last piece that was left, dad came in with an empty plate - he had eaten it! Anyway, this is a very pretty cake, the top is crunchy-crackly, the cake is golden yellow and the bottom is a very pretty red.

To make up for that, today I will share a couple of flower pictures with you!


African Daisies


Dahlia

Tomorrow I will share with you a recipe that my pastor's wife gave me for a corn salad.

Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY (August 18, 2008)...

Outside My Window... There is bright sunshine streaming in. Cool air is flowing in, it is about 58 degrees here in MO, this is unheard of for August! There is heavy dew on the grass.

I am thinking... of how wonderful my God is, and what a beautiful world he made for us to live in.

I am thankful for...my good health. I am rarely sick, outside of allergies, and I am so thankful for that.

From the kitchen... I might barbecue some steak later on, but basically we have tons of leftovers from our church dinner yesterday. Coleslaw, potato salad, 7-layer salad, broccoli and cauliflower, fried chicken, rhubarb cake!

I am wearing...my pjs! Old white t-shirt and red capri pj pants with little white hearts on them.

I am creating... a journal. Not only this one on-line, but I am going to start keeping a paper journal as well.

I am going... to be busy, busy, busy this week. The fair starts Thursday!

I am reading...the book of Joshua.

I am hoping... that I win first prize in at least one thing!!

I am hearing...birds twittering, crickets chirping and my mother watering her flowers.

Around the house... much cleaning to be done. We let things go this weekend to get the cooking done. Laundry, floors mopped, vacuuming, dusting . . . .

One of my favorite things...is early morning sunshine. There is just something about getting up and seeing the sun's rays hitting the earth for the first time that day.

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week: Oh my. Today - laundry and cleaning. Then baking bread, cakes, cookies . . . then the Fair will be here, must go to that!

Here is picture thought I am sharing...


Thistles. National symbol of Scotland. They are prickly as all get out, but so beautiful.

Wasn't that fun? Peggy hosts this every week, over at The Simple Woman. Lots of people participate, you can too!

Come and Dine

There is a hymn that says:

Jesus has a table spread, where the saints of God are fed, he invites his chosen people come and dine . . .

Well, this sunday we are having a church dinner on the grounds. Or, what we call an Eatin' Meetin'. You see, our pastor's last name is Eaton. TeeHee!

I love to have church dinners, they are such fun. We have a lot of single people in our church, and most of them don't cook. So they get to enjoy some good, old-fashioned country cooking.

So, I am taking . . .

Salisbury Steak in Onion Gravy
Mashed Potatoes
7-Layer Salad
Cheesy Broccoli and Cauliflower (done in the crockpot)
Homemade Brioche Rolls
Rhubarb Cake
Chocolate Torte

Normally, I would not take quite as much, but my 2 neices and their mother and their children are supposed to come, so I want to be sure there is enough to go around.

Mom is bringing Fried Chicken, potato salad and coleslaw.

I will be sharing some of these recipes with you - you already have the recipe for the rolls and the Salisbury Steak and the potato salad.

Hope everyone has a fantabulous weekend, I will post some pictures later. DS has the camera and he is gone for the day.

Spread It Around

I like spreads. Dips. Schmears. Whatever you like to call them. With crackers or chips or vegs. Hot or cold. They are great to have on hand for unexpected company, or just when you want a nosh. But what I don't like is paying big money for them. Especially if I can re-create them at home.

So, when I found this recipe, I was elated. Usually this cheese spread is imported from France, and you end up paying at least a couple of fingers for it, if not an arm! Besides that, it keeps in the fridge like forever and I don't think I have come across one person that does not like it, except picky DS, and I am not counting him as he doesn't like anything with cream cheese in it except cheesecake.

Smooth, creamy, bursting with flavor, buttery . . . what more could you ask for?

Homemade Boursin

2 garlic cloves
1 stick butter, softened
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
3 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese (the real stuff, and freshly-grated)
1 tablespoon fresh dill, minced or 1 teaspoon dried dill weed, crumbled
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/2 teaspoon basil
1/2 teaspoon chives
1/2 teaspoon black pepper (freshly ground)
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

Crush garlic. Mix cheeses, butter and garlic. Add remaining ingredients, mix well.
Pack into a container just large enough to hold the boursin and store in refrigerator. To serve, bring to room temperature.




Ok, I admit, I shamelessly lifted this one from Recipezaar. Evelyn in Athens originally posted it and Wow, it is fantastic!

Almonds

I love almonds. And almond flavored-things.

I am not a big nut lover, but there is just something about the flavor of an almond. Here is what I found out about almonds:

Apparently, botanically speaking, an almond is not a nut, but a drupe! Wild almonds originated somewhere in the Middle East, where they grow in abundance. Wild almonds are toxic - they contain prussic acid or cyanide (apparently if you roast them they are ok). But the domestic ones do not. Some argue that it is a genetic mutantion that causes them to be non-toxic. They were first grown unintentionally. Almonds were one of the earliest domesticated trees.

Almonds are grown in the USA, Turkey, Italy, Spain, Iran, Morocco, Syria, Algeria, Tuninsia, Greece, Lebanon, China.

There are 2 forms of the plant - one (usually with white flowers) producing sweet almonds and the other (usually with pink flowers) producing bitter almonds. The bitter almonds are the ones which contain cyanaide, sometimes as much as 9 mg per almond!

Almonds are great, almost no carbs at all. 1 cup of almond flour contains 20 grams of carbs, but 10 grams of fiber for a net of 10 carbs.

Sweet almond oil is high in Omega-3 and is used in many skin-softening agents. Jaffra has a line of almond products that are W-O-N-D-E-R-F-U-L!

The Hebrew name for almond means industrious or vigilant and they bloom sometimes as early as February in Israel. In the Bible the almond is mentioned ten times, beginning with Book of Genesis 43:11, where it is described as "among the best of fruits". In Numbers 17 Levi is chosen from the other tribes of Israel by Aaron's rod, which brought forth almond flowers. According to tradition, the rod of Aaron bore sweet almonds on one side and bitter on the other; if the Israelites followed the Lord, the sweet almonds would be ripe and edible, but if they were to forsake the path of the Lord, the bitter almonds would predominate.

Wow! Almonds are the way to go! At least, I think so! So, without further ado . . .

Almond Syrup
About 3 cups

Ok, strictly speaking, this is not exactly a canning recipe, as you do not hot-water-bath it. But work with me here . . .

1-1/2 cups whole almonds, blanched and skinned (I used blanched, slivered almonds)
2 Tablespoons almond extract
2-1/2 cups cold water
1-3/4 cups sugar

Grind almonds roughly in a food processor. Place in a pan with the almond extract and stir in the water. Add the sugar and bring to a boil. Simmer for 3 minutes, then strain through a linen bag. Pour into hot, sterilized bottles and cork immediately. Store in the fridge for up to 6 months.

Now, it being early morning when I made this, I just dumped my slivered almonds in and did not bother grinding them. I strained it thru cheesecloth and I put the syrup in hot 1/4 pint jars and put lids and rings on them.




Then . . . . I had 5 jars of almond syrup, but what to do with my left over syrup and the almonds . . . the wheels started turning, so I put some foil on a pan and sprayed it with cooking spray. Then I dumped the almonds on the foil and ladled the remaining syrup on top and stuck it in the oven for a while on about 300F. The almonds got nice and glazed. Then I dumped them out onto waxed paper and left them to dry. Now, I have nice almond-glazed almonds to top off my baked goods.

Be Ye Not Weary in Well Doing

II Thessalonians 3:13 "But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing." Galatians 6:9 admonishes us: "And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not."

That is soooooo hard sometimes. I usually try to have a good disposition. Happy-go-lucky and all. But sometimes I would just like to tell some people to get a life. No, I don't love my job. But I do it because it pays my bills. No, I can't just do what I want to every day. There are things that have to be done. Housework, job, yard work, laundry . . . the list goes on. And yes, it is a pain that they charge you so much for everything and you have to pay taxes EVERY year - get over it, so do the rest of us!

Sometimes it seems as if we are ALWAYS doing something for someone else and they never do anything for us!

But, in order to be Christ-like, we must be tolerant of these people. That is one area that I sometimes have a very hard time with! So I keep the above scripture in mind. Be not weary in well doing. Keep on giving, even if it should make you so mad you turn blue. Keep on keeping on doing things for others. Never get tired of it. Just think . . . God never gives up on us, never gets tired of us coming to him with all of our problems. So if we are to be like him, we should never give up on others.

Speaking of making things for others . . .

Last night I made a ham loaf for supper. There was way more than enough for the 3 of us (DS was out), so instead of one big one, I made 2 small ones and froze one. I try to do this frequently, and then if there is someone in dire need or sick, etc. I can go to my freezer and pull out a few things and give them. Saves scrambling at the last moment, takes about 5 minutes longer than normal and I can be calmer about not being weary in well doing!

Ham Loaf

1-1/2 pounds ground pork
1-1/2 pounds ground ham (I had some leftover from a baked ham)
2 eggs
1 sleeve of Ritz crackers, crushed
1/2 cup or so of evaporated milk
onion powder, garlic powder and fresh ground pepper to taste

Topping:

Approximately 1/3 cup ketchup
About 3 Tablespoons prepared mustard
About 3 Tablespoons brown sugar

Mix all ingredients for loaf by hand. You can use a spoon if you want, but to get the right texture, use your hands. Shape into a loaf shape and place on shallow pan. Mix topping ingredients together. Spread over top of loaf. Bake at 350F until done. Remember, I halved this, so I baked about 1/2 hour, maybe 45 minutes.

If you want to freeze, put waxed paper on a cookie sheet. Place prepared loaf on that and cover with topping. Put in freezer and leave overnight. The next morning, take out, leave on waxed paper and cover with foil, place in freezer.



Sorry for the dark picture, but this is what is looks like after being frozen.

Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY (August 11, 2008)...

Outside My Window...The locusts are singing their late summer song. There is a gentle breeze playfully ruffling the leaves on the maple tree.

I am thinking... of going grocery shopping this evening.

I am thankful for... Good parents that raised me, taught me right from wrong and loved us no matter what.

From the kitchen... Sloppy Joes, Fresh pineapple, rice pudding, maybe some cucumbers, fresh tomatoes.

I am wearing... Red tee-shirt, navy skirt and - Oh, no, not again . . . my slippers!

I am creating... a meal plan for this Sunday - we are having a church dinner.

I am going... to enter some things in our little "Fair" later this month. Some cakes, breads, cookies and jelly.

I am reading... Historical Whodunnits!

I am hoping... that my mother will accept my decision I made recently.

I am hearing... the locusts singing in the trees. It always makes me nostalgic, for some reason. I really like it, because it usually heralds the end of our very hottest weather!

Around the house... Oh me oh my, lots to be done. Must organize and clean the freezers and refrigerators. Also must deep clean my room and finish organizing my recipes. On the plus side, I did get some pizza sauce made and canned and some chili tomatoes frozen. Also, must get almond syrup done today and think of making my mint jelly later this week . . . had to wait until the mint plants got big enough!

One of my favorite things... Jergen's cherry-almond lotion. I have loved the scent since I was little - it is comfort to me!

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week: Organize and clean freezers/refrigerators. Deep clean my room and organize. Help DS sort and wash his laundry. Help mother mulch the front flower beds. Get car inspected and renew license. Clean off my desk!

Here is picture thought I am sharing...


You know you wanna . . . go on over to Peggy's and take a look! The Simple Woman. It is refreshing! It is fun! It is . . . Simple!

Tagged by Jan

I have been tagged by Jan at What Do I Want 2 Cook Today. Jan is a sweetheart of a gal who lives with her husband, Paul in England. She cooks the most delicious-sounding food and takes nice, long vacations in Greece (which I secretly envy her for!).

This is the Six Quirky Things About Me meme.

1. I don't like watermelon. I love cantaloupe and honeydew melon, and I love watermelon jello, kool-aid and candy, but I don't like watermelon itself. Go figure!

2. When I am cooking, it is best that I do not have anyone talking to me. I can mess up a recipe so easily that way! (and have, countless times)

3. I get cold very easily. Almost all of the time in the summer, with the air conditioning on, I will be in a sweater. and I will have socks on my feet. Brr!

4. I am not really a people person. As far as visiting with you all here on the blog, I like it, because I can do it at my pace and on my terms. Face-to-face, tho? Nope, not for me. I could be a hermit without a problem, live way back in the sticks and go to town once or twice a month - I would love it!

5. My right foot is just a bit bigger/longer than my left foot. I think this is because I have broken this foot in the past. Anyway, when I am shoe shopping, what size I can wear all depends on how the shoe is made. In sneakers I can wear a 7 and they tend to be a bit big. Most heels I have to have 7-1/2, but again, depends on how they are made, some I need an 8 and some I can wear a 7.

6. If someone buys me flowers, I am very picky. I like pink roses, but not red ones. White or peach or even yellow will do, but Just not red! Mixed flowers are ok, but they usually make me sneeze my head off.

I am supposed to tag 6 other people, but I am being lazy today, so if you feel like doing this, be my guest!

Red Onion . . . Marmelade?

Yes, Red Onion Marmelade! I have been intrigued with making some red onion jam/marmelade ever since I read about it in a book by Diane Mott Davidson - Sticks and Scones. It is a murder mystery involving Goldy Schultz, a caterer. Takes place in a castle, very intriguing book!

Last year, I made some and froze it - I do not recommend that way of preserving it, the onions go very mushy. Although, it works wonders for French Onion Soup!

So this year, I came across a brilliant recipe, very easy and I made it.

Red Onion Marmelade

I believe I got 5 half-pints out of this.

1 orange
3 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced red onions
3/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 (85 ml) envelope liquid pectin

With vegetable peeler, peel rind from orange in long strips. Scrape off white pith from rind; slice rind lengthwise into paper-thin strips. Set aside. In large saucepan, bring orange strips, sugar, onion, vinegar and salt to boil; boil for 1 minute. Stir in liquid pectin, mixing well. Remove from heat.

Using slotted spoon, divide onion and orange rind among three 1-cup (250 mL) hot canning jars. Pour in liquid, leaving 1/4-inch (5 mm) headspace. Cover with prepared lids; screw on bands fingertip tight. Boil in boiling water canner for 10 minutes. Let jars stand on rack until cool. Store in cool dark place for up to 1 year.

Variation: Pepper and Red Onion Marmalade: Add 1/2 tsp (2 mL) coarsely ground black pepper or hot red pepper flakes.




It is a very lovely color, so pretty, this picture does not do it justice! This is great on sandwiches, over top of cream cheese with crackers, or try it when making chicken salad, mix with a little mayo . . .

Next week will be almond syrup - can be used a myriad of ways - try making an italian soda with it!

Teriyaki Chicken

Whew! with this heat, we have been fixing quite a few crockpot meals. I can throw them in either on my lunch hour or before work and it sure saves on heating up the house!

We try to be pretty economical, too. Now, I love boneless, skinless chicken breasts. There are SOOOOOO many things you can do with them! But for teriyaki, the dark meat of the chicken to me tastes better, richer somehow.

We had a large package of chicken thighs that we got on sale, so I took half of them and made this recipe. Quick to fix, easy, moist beyond belief and very flavorful!




Teriyaki Crockpot Chicken
Serves 4-6

6-8 chicken thighs, bone-in, skinned
1/2 cup soy sauce
2 teaspoons crushed garlic
1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger
2 tablespoons brown sugar

Grease a crockpot. I had 5 thighs and I used my small 1-1/2 quart and it worked fine. Place chicken in crockpot. Mix remaining ingredients and pour over chicken. Cook for 1 hour on high, then 6-8 hours on low. Enjoy!



I am thinking this would be really good for sandwiches, just take it off the bone when done, shred it and add enough of the juice to moisten it good, bung it back in the crockpot and heat. With some Grilled pineapple rings and maybe a little Thai Sweet Chili sauce mixed with some sour cream?? With fresh jicama for crunch, maybe? Or soft asian tacos? A lot of possibilities!

Get ready for red onion marmelade tomorrow!

Cheese Please!

I love cheese. Except limburger, can't handle that one! But I do like most cheeses. Here in America, it can be hard to get good cheese. However, I have a secret weapon!

Osceola Cheese is about 60 miles or so south of us. They sell about 120 varieties of cheese and they are good! (Albiet very different from what you would find in Great Britain, sorry!) They have samples of everything out that you can try. Their cheeses run the gamut from blueberry white cheddar to habanero montery Jack. They also sell a wide variety of salsas, dips, mustards and jams and jellies. I like their party rye chips! They also have soda and candy, trinkets and sell T-shirts, etc.

We were down south last weekend and stopped in. We didn't buy a lot, but what we did buy is very good. I got some Edam, some green onion cheese and some cherry white cheddar. The green onion is a processed cheese, so it is very soft and mellow. The Edam is always good. The cherry white cheddar is very good. We did try a blueberry white cheddar that was lightly smoked and I thought it was fantastic! However, no one else shared my enthusiasm.

Usually around Christmas, we make a trip down and get some of our favorite cheeses to have on hand for snacking during the holiday season.

Today I am going to share not a recipe with you, but more of an idea.

Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

Everyone likes grilled cheese, right? Well here is how I make my grilled cheese.

First pick your cheeses - cheddar, parmesan, edam, gouda, swiss, muenster, mozzarella, provolone, blue, gorgonzola, whatever you have handy, but try to get a good mix. You don't need a lot of each, just a bit. Mozzarella is always good for the melty-stretchy-stringie factor!

Then get out some bacon - how much is up to you. Fry it slowly on top of the stove, but first snip it into little pieces with a pair of kitchen shears. Drain well on paper towels.

Onions - or shallots, spring onions, whatever you like. Saute them in a bit of the bacon drippings until they caramelize a bit.

While your bacon or onions are cooking, shred your cheeses, large shred. For some reason, shredded cheese seems to melt better than slabs.

Then get out your bread. Mix this up too - rye, pumpernickle, sourdough, whole wheat, oat, whatever you like.

Mayonnaise. Not butter, mayonnaise. For some reason, it browns better and you absolutely cannot taste it. DS hates mayo and I always use it on grilled cheese - he loves my grilled cheese. But use real mayo, not miracle whip.

Keep your heat low. Spread one piece of bread with mayo and put in your preheated skillet. Now pile on the shredded cheese, bacon bits and onions. Top with the other piece of bread, mayo up. Stick your head in the fridge and find the pickles. Pour you a glass of whatever tickles your fancy. Flip your sandwich. Oooh, it is nice and toasty! Try to control the drool as you wait for the other side to brown.

There, all done. Devour your sandwich while waiting for the next one to cook.

New look

Tell me what'cha think! Thanks to my friends Marie, Sue and Susan for putting me onto this site! Lovin' it! I am looking to take the blog in a little more spiritual direction, too!

The Big Read

The Big Read The Big Read is an initiative of the NEA designed to restore reading to the center of American culture. The NEA presents The Big Read in partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Services and in cooperation with Arts Midwest. This meme isn't part of that, or at least I don't think so, but it is interesting to read the "meme list" and see which ones you have read. I admit that some of them I've never heard of and that there are several I think should have made the list and didn't.

“The Big Read reckons that the average adult has only read 6 of the top 100 books they’ve printed.” Where do you fall on this list?

1) Bold: I have read.

2) Underline: Books I love. (I could not figure out how to underline, so I italiced!)

3) Reprint this list in your own blog so we can try and track down these people who’ve read only 6 and force books upon them!!

4) I'm adding this one! What books do you think are missing from this list?

1. Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen
2. The Lord of the Rings - JRR Tolkien
3. Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte
4. The Harry Potter Series - JK Rowling
5. To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee
6. The Bible
7 . Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte
8. Nineteen Eighty Four - George Orwell
9. His Dark Materials – Phillip Pullman
10. Great Expectations – Charles Dickens
11. Little Women - Louisa M Alcott
12. Tess of the D’Urbervilles - Thomas Hardy
13. Catch 22 - Joseph Heller
14 . The Complete works of Shakespeare (Almost, but not quite. Have seen many of them performed.)
15. Rebecca - Daphne Du Maurier
16. The Hobbit --J.R.R. Tolkien
17. Birdsong – Sebastian Faulks
18. Catcher in the Rye - JD Salinger
19. The Time Traveler's Wife
20. Middlemarch - George Eliot
21. Gone With The Wind - Margaret Mitchell
22. The Great Gatsby - F Scott Fitzgerald
23. Bleak House - Charles Dickens
24. War and Peace - Leo Tolstoy
25. The Hitch Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams
26. Brideshead Revisited – Evelyn Waugh
27. Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoyevsky
28. Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck
29. Alice in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll
30 . The Wind in the Willows - Kenneth Grahame
31. Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy
32. David Copperfield – Charles Dickens
33. Chronicles of Narnia - CS Lewis
34 . Emma - Jane Austen
35. Persuasion - Jane Austen
36. The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe - CS Lewis
37. The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini
38. Captain Corelli’s Mandolin - Louis De Bernieres
39. Memoirs of a Geisha - Arthur Golden
40. Winnie the Pooh - AA Milne
41. Animal Farm - George Orwell
42. The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown
43. One Hundred Years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
44. A Prayer for Owen Meaney - John Irving
45. The Woman in White - Wilkie Collins
46. Anne of Green Gables - LM Montgomery
47. Far From The Madding Crowd - Thomas Hardy
48. The Handmaid’s Tale - Margaret Atwood
49. Lord of the Flies – William Golding (we studied this to boredom in sophomore English)
50. Atonement - Ian McEwan
51. Life of Pi - Yann Martel
52. Dune- Frank Herbert
53. Cold Comfort Farm - Stella Gibbons
54. Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen
55. A Suitable Boy - Vikram Seth
56. The Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafon
57. A Tale Of Two Cities - Charles Dickens
59. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time - Mark Haddon
60. Love In The Time Of Cholera - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
61. Of Mice and Men - John Steinbeck
62. Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov
63. The Secret History - Donna Tartt
64. The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold
65. Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas
66. On The Road - Jack Kerouac
67. Jude the Obscure - Thomas Hardy
68. Bridget Jones’s Diary - Helen Fielding
69. Midnight’s Children - Salman Rushdie
70. Moby Dick – Herman Melville
71. Oliver Twist - Charles Dickens
72. Dracula - Bram Stoker
73. The Secret Garden - Frances Hodgson Burnett
74. Notes From A Small Island - Bill Bryson
75. Ulysses - James Joyce
76. The Bell Jar - Sylvia Plath
77. Swallows and Amazons
78. Germinal - Emile Zola
79. Vanity Fair - William Makepeace Thackeray
80. Possession - AS Byatt
81. A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens
82 Cloud Atlas - David Mitchell
83. The Color Purple - Alice Walker
84. The Remains of the Day - Kazuo Ishiguro
85. Madame Bovary - Gustave Flaubert
86. A Fine Balance - Rohinton Mistry
87. Charlotte’s Web - EB White
88. The Five People You Meet In Heaven – Mitch Albom
89. Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
90. The Faraway Tree Collection – Enid Blyton
91. Heart of Darkness - Joseph Conrad
92. The Little Prince – Antoine de St. Exupery
93. The Wasp Factory – Iain Banks
94. Watership Down - Richard Adams
95. A Confederacy of Dunces – John Kennedy Toole
96. A Town like Alice- Nevil Shute
97. The Three Musketeers - Alexandre Dumas
98. Hamlet- William Shakespeare
99. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Roald Dahl
100. Les Miserables – Victor Hugo

I found this list at StitchinBy TheLake!

I think some that should be added are:

James Herriott's books.
The Nancy Drew original series by Carolyn Keene.
The Hardy Boys original series by Franklin Dixon.
Nero Wolfe - Fer-De-Lance by Rex Stout.
The Lord Peter Wimsey books by Dorothy Sayers.
The Maltese Falcon.
All of Agatha Christie's books.

Simple Woman's Day Book

FOR TODAY August 04, 2008...

Outside My Window... There is a heat haze. The grass is wilting. Bright sunshine. Yep - its summer! We had 108 Saturday, supposed to get 110 today. With about 90% humidity, I might add!

I am thinking... about entering some things in our little city fair later this month. Cakes, cookies, bread and some jelly!

I am thankful for... a good pastor and his wife. They are just good folks and we appreciate them so much.

From the kitchen... Smoked sausage, potatoes and vegs with cheese from the crockpot. Fresh sliced tomatoes. Making some cherry-chocolate scones later this evening. Blueberry cream puffs some day this week.

I am wearing... Navy skirt, turquoise tee with flowers and of course, my slippers!

I am creating... A teapot quilt! I sent off for the patterns just the other day!

I am going... to my niece's wedding reception on Saturday. I am so happy for her! They were married by Justice of the Peace in late June, but waited to have the reception.

I am reading... some Emily Bronte.

I am hoping... that I will get some of my fabric today in the mail!

I am hearing... The city man driving by in his big truck, the dryer is humming and DS is clonking around getting breakfast.

Around the house... Laundry! Lots of laundry. I have some organizing that needs to be done.

One of my favorite things... is E-bay! I am assembling my fabrics for my quilts and boy is it fun!

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week: Hmmm . . . stay cool! Make some mint jelly and almond syrup. Bake lemon bars for my niece's reception.

Here is picture thought I am sharing...

If this sounds like fun to you, go over to Peggy's site at The Simple Woman and make your own daybook. The instructions are pretty simple and it is addictive once you get started!

Happy Monday!

Well, it is definitely Summer here! We had 108F on Saturday and are expecting 110 today. With about 90% humidity. Ugh!

As for myself, I would prefer to live up north, where it gets 85-90 for a high and then cools down at night. I like cooler temperatures. Heat just makes me cranky!

We have been doing some crockpot cooking, which is nice, but every once in a while . . . I like to make something on top of the stove. We had ham the other night and I was looking for a different side dish . . .

Here is what I came up with:

Corn Fritters
Serves 4

Note: These are a savory corn fritter, you can make sweeter ones, I will post about that in the winter! Those will be out of my Nero Wolfe Cookbook - that man knew all about eating!

11 ounce can of corn, drained
1 small onion, minced
1/2 tsp. chili powder
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt (I used hickory smoked)
1 egg
Fresh ground black pepper
4 Tablespoons cooking oil

Buzz corn in the blender a few seconds. Stir everything together except oil. Heat oil and drop mixture by a heaping spoonfull. Spread it out a bit. Fry about 3 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels and serve hot.



You could add some jalapeno to these . . . or maybe some cheese . . .some ground coriander or cumin . . . Maybe use some zucchini . . . there are a lot of possibilities here.

I served these with Thai Sweet Chili Sauce - Wow, what a taste-a-pooloza!

Pizza Tot Casserole

Ok, yet another quick-n-easy! But kids of all ages LOVE this and it is indeed quick, freezes well also. We took a pan to my sick auntie.

It is a not-so-traditional spin on a hamburger-tator tot casserole.

Hope everyone is doing well with the heat, we are back to normal here. We did get some nice rain, about 1-1/2 inches.

This is a TOH recipe.

Pizza Tot Casserole
Serves 4-6

1 pound hamburger (can use sausage here)
1/2 of green bell pepper, chopped small
1/2 medium onion, chopped small
1 can tomato soup, not diluted
1 can mushrooms, drained
1 fat clove garlic, minced
Italian seasoning to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 bag frozen tator tots
Snipped pepperoni - optional

Grease a 9 x 11 pan. Preheat oven to 350F. Brown hamburger with garlic, pepper and onion in skillet. Drain well (I usually rinse with boiling water after draining). Stir in tomato soup and season to taste. Mix in mushrooms. Spread in pan. Top with cheese and finally with tator tots. Top that with the snipped pepperoni. Bake for 30 minutes. Serve with crusty breadsticks and a nice green salad.



You can mix and match this however you like, according to what you usually put on your pizza. Throw some canadian bacon in, or olives.

Tangerine Jelly

Time for another canning recipe! This time, brilliant orangeness with tangerine jelly. If you like orange marmelade, you will like this. It has layers of flavor as well as a brilliant, almost glowing orange color.

I have discovered as well that I think I like working with powdered pectin better than I do the liquid pectin. Sets up much nicer.

This is a Recipezaar recipe, posted by DiB's.

Tangerine Jelly
I got 6 half-pints, plus almost enough for another

6 cups chopped tangerines, pulp, around 4 lb
1 cup chopped lemon, pulp (2-3 large lemons)
1/2 cup thinly sliced tangerine peel (about 4 tangerines)
1 cup water
1 (1-3/4 ounce) package dry pectin
5 cups white sugar

Now, tangerines are usually only found around here at Christmas time. So, instead I found a lovely bottle of tangerine juice that I used. I did chop up about 4 oranges and the lemon and used orange peel and it worked great. You need 4 cups of juice and the bottle was a quart, so perfect!

Combine pulps, peel and water in large saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Strain juice through a damp jelly bag. Measure 4 cups of juice. Combined the juice and powered pectin in a large pan. Over high heat bring to a boil. Add sugar. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Return to a rolling boil. Boil hard for 1 minute. Ladle hot jelly into hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch head space. Adjust caps. Process 10 minutes in boiling water bath canner.

Voila! Day-Glo jelly!



For those of you who read Jan Bennett's blog - next week I am posting a red onion marmelade recipe! (She posted about an appetizer using red onion jam!)

Chicken Enchiladas

Ok, I know that just about everyone has a version of chicken enchiladas. So today, you all are going to get mine! Note that this is another quick-n-easy recipe. The other night I was going to have left-overs for supper, when to my surprise, all of the left-overs were gone! So another quickie! I do promise that I don't cook like this ALL the time!

I made 2 more pans of these this morning, one to take to my sick auntie and one to pop in the freezer for us. Don't imagine it will be around long.

Chicken Enchiladas

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and cubed
Approximately 1/2 cup sour cream
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided
1 small can chicken gravy
1 can green enchilada sauce
Corn tortillas

In a bowl, mix chicken, 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, gravy, sour cream and about 1/3 can of enchilada sauce.

Grease 2 8-inch pans.

Warm tortillas slightly in microwave so they are pliable. Take a tortilla and spoon a heaping tablespoon of filling down the middle. Roll up and place seam side down in the pan. Repeat until you run out of filling. You can use more or less filling, depends on how quick you want to get done!

When done, drizzle 1/3 can of enchilada sauce on each pan. Then put about 3/4 cup of cheese on top.



You can now freeze this for baking later or bake it right now. Bake about 30 minutes in a 350 degree oven.

You can mix up the cheese and the sauce for these, use pepper jack cheese or a hot enchilada sauce if you like it spicy. You can also saute onions and peppers and add to the filling. I am just giving you bare bones here. Also, DS does not care for onions and peppers, so I try to accommodate! Also before you bake, sliced black olives are great to strew over the top. Serve with a green salad with fresh tomatoes.

Another Quick-n-Easy

I know, I know. I am getting lazy? When it is hot and humid as it has been here, kinda saps me. I look for what I can find that is quick and easy to throw on the table to satisfy the hungry horde at this house.

For those of you who may be new here, I live in an extended family situation. My DS and I live with my parents. My oldest brother lives just down the street and my neice and her 2 sons live across town (about 5 blocks or so). So instead of having 4 people at a meal, we may have as meany as 8. So even if I try to plan a night for leftovers, a lot of times that does not happen. But I would not have it any other way, I love my family!

Anyway, it was like 97F here yesterday and I was not wanting to cook something after working all day, getting off at 6 PM.

So I rummaged around and here is what I came up with.

Quick-N-Easy Sweet-N-Sour Meatballs
Serves 4-5

There are entirely too many hypens in that name!

1 package (1 pound) frozen meatballs
1 jar sweet-n-sour sauce
1/2 green bell pepper, seeded and cut in large dice
1/2 medium onion, peeled and cut into large dice
1 can water chestnuts, drained
1 (8 oz) can tidbit pineapple, drained

Bung all of the above ingredients into a slow cooker and cook on high for 2 hours, low for 4 hours. Or you can do it in a skillet on top of the stove, just cook your meatballs with onions and peppers first, then throw in the rest of ingredients and simmer over low until good and hot. Serve over rice. I did mine in the slow cooker, threw it in a 4 pm. I did brown my pepper and onion a bit in a skillet before putting it in with the rest.



This was pretty good, for being a throw-together quickie! You can add any manner of vegs that you like, I think mushrooms would be good here, too.

I am having a terrible time with my photos here lately! Blogger had an internal error and photobucket never works any more! Agh! any suggestions?

Wouldn't you know, after I had already threw this in to cook, about 5:30 my gentleman friend called and wanted to know did I want him to bring pizza over! I had to tell him no, I am already cooking something, sorry! Maybe next time!

Country Cookin'

I am a country girl at heart! They say that you can take the girl out of the country, but you can't take the country out of the girl! (Not that I am anywheres near out of the country.)

I like to eat fancy now and then. But when it comes to certain dishes, plain ol' country cooked is how I like them.

Like green beans. Now I have eaten them several different ways. But my favorite will probably always be like this.

Country-Style Green Beans
Makes a "big ole' mess"

6 slices bacon
1 onion, diced fine
2-3 potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
1 can sliced mushrooms, drained
Salt and pepper to taste
Chicken broth
Garlic powder to taste
Fresh green beans, a big colander full (probably about 1/2 gallon)

Saute your bacon until almost crisp. Set bacon aside. In bacon grease, saute onion until limp. In a large pot, put your snapped beans. Now for this many beans, you might want to use 2 cans of chicken broth (apx 1 quart). Pour the broth over your beans. Season well. Add the onion and bacon, stir. Cook over low-medium heat for at least 30 minutes. Check beans for tenderness. If they are not fork tender, cook them some more. Throw your potatoes in and let them get tender. Add mushrooms last. Now get you a bowl, sit down and eat.

This reheats well.

Simple Woman's Day Book

FOR TODAY July 28, 2008...

Outside My Window... There is a gentle drizzle falling, dripping off of the thirsty plants. The basil is looking lovely and so is the peppermint.

I am thinking... that I sure would enjoy a nice cold glass of Tea right now!

I am thankful for... knowing how to can. My mother taught me how and every year, I find new things to make!

From the kitchen... Sweet and Sour Meatballs on rice, black berry cobbler for dessert.

I am wearing...Navy skirt, my eagles T-shirt, pony tail and of course my slippers!

I am creating... a cat quilt. That is, I want to, I have ordered the material, just have to sit down and plan it all out when it gets here.

I am going... to Osceola this coming weekend. Only about an hour south of here, but my good friend wants me to go and meet his aunt and uncle. They have a cheese store there, too, so maybe I can get some of that cherry white cheddar I have been wanting to try!

I am reading... Nothing at the moment, time for a trip to the library.

I am hoping...that my book from my good friend Marie in England will get here soon!

I am hearing... my kittie purring. DS wore him out this morning chasing the laser pointer.

Around the house... vacuuming, some cooking to take to my auntie who is sick. She had shoulder surgery and now has a staph infection in the joint, now has become allergic to the antibiotics which were making her sick anyway. We are going to make some things to stick in the freezer for her. That is about it, we got quite a lot done this weekend.

One of my favorite things... is homemade bread. Hot from the oven, dripping with butter and honey - now you're talking!

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week: Go to auntie's tomorrow. Library and bank Tuesday morning. Making some mint jelly, almond syrup and peach-vanilla syrup. If I can find some good cucumbers, making some mustard pickles.

Here is picture thought I am sharing ...



Our hardy hibiscus. These things are as big as a dinner plate!

Want to do your own daybook? Read others? Go over to The Simple Woman and just follow directions. It is such fun!

Chocolate Cherry Jam

I apologize for being absent. I honestly was going to post yesterday and had a nasty migraine.

Several of you have shown interest in my mention of chocolate cherry jam. As you know, I belong to Recipezaar. It is a great place to find ALL kinds of recipes! While surfing thru the canning recipes, I stumbled upon this one. I was very intrigued, so here it is!

My instructions are for American canning equipment, which I understand is quite different from European.

This smells heavenly, like a box of chocolate covered cherries!

Chocolate Cherry Jam
I got 8 half-pint jars plus probably enough to fill another, but you gotta sample!

6 cups prepared fruit (Bing cherries) - pitted, cut up and smooshed - measure after pitting, cutting and smooshing
3 unsweetened chocolate squares (3 oz)
4 cups granulated sugar
1 box Sure-Jell
1/2 teaspoon butter

Pit cherries, cut and smoosh. I used a potato masher to smoosh them. This is messy, so my advice is put the bowl down in a sink. Otherwise you will have cherry juice all over your shirt. Also, it tends to stain hands and fingernails, so beware. Or you could just buy them frozen and save yourself the trouble! If using frozen, use both liquids and solids, don't drain.



Ok, that is a horrible pic, but you get the idea??

Anyway, put them in a large (6-8 quart) heavy saucepan. Add chocolate and butter. Measure 3-3/4 cups sugar into a bowl. Just before cooking, stir remaining 1/4 cup sugar together with the Sure-Jell. Stir into pan. Bring rapidly to a boil. As soon as it boils, add the remaining sugar. Bring back to a rolling boil and let boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Ladle into pint or half-pint jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Process 10 minutes in a boiling water canner.




That is it. In no time, you will have delicious chocolate cherriness! I am thinking this will be great over top of ice cream!

There is nothing more satisfying than that little "schnick" when those lids seal!

Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY: July 21, 2008...

Outside My Window... I am seeing beautiful flowers. Red, white and pink geraniums with spike and blue lobelia. So very pretty.

I am thinking... that I need to go to the library this evening.

I am thankful for... air conditioning. Summer has started here with a vengance. It was 97 yesterday and supposed to be 102 today. With about 100% humidity.

From the kitchen... Chocolate cherry jam being made this evening, hamburger stroganoff and a green salad with fresh tomatoes.

I am wearing... Navy twill skirt, gray Red-Cross T-shirt and my houseslippers.

I am creating... a lap quilt. All in pinks, to match in my room of course!

I am going... to postpone our single's meeting a week, as the only other lady is going to be out of town and I do not want to be the only girl.

I am reading... John Bellairs. He fascinates me.

I am hoping... that they still have tangerine juice at Wal-Mart. I want to make some jelly and that would be perfect.

I am hearing... not much, the kitties are sleeping and it is quiet outside- for once.

Around the house... There is laundry to be done and I need to sweep the floors.

One of my favorite things... is my cat. He is so loveable!

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week: Clean my closet. It is embarassing! Also wash my car and get Keith to look at my brakes. Call my friend Amy and see if she would like to watch a DVD with me.

Here is picture thought I am sharing...

This is my loveable cat, Moodie! Check out his whiskers!

Hop on over to The Simple Woman and check out all of the other daybooks. While you are there, make your own! Loads of fun!

Quick-n-Easy

I like to take my time and fix a meal. I don't mind recipes that have lots of steps. But sometimes I am in a hurry. We had unexpected company for lunch on Sunday. Now, on Sundays I usually sleep in a bit. Instead of getting up at 5:30 or 6:00, I usually sleep till 7:00 or so. I get up, fix some breakfast and get ready to go to church, we head out the door about 9:30. Lunch a lot of times on Sunday afternoons is whatever they have that looks good from the Deli. Unless I stick something in the crockpot. We usually get home between 12:30 and 1:00 and eat, then take a nap.

Well, with unexpected company, we had to make do. We had some salad and with fresh tomatoes, that was no problem. We got some chips out and made some iced tea. But what to make for a main?

We had hot dogs, so here is what I came up with.

Sorry, no pics, they were devoured on the spot.

Barbecued Hot Dogs
Serves 4-6 depending on how hungry you are

1 onion, slivered
2 tablespoons butter (I used olive oil)
8 hot dogs
2 Tablespoons vinegar
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 cup water
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
1 cup ketchup
3 teaspoons worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon mustard (I used more)
Buns

In saucepan, brown onion in butter. Add rest of ingredients except buns and hot dogs, simmer 30 minutes. Pot hot dogs all over with a fork and place in oblong baking dish. Pour sauce over hot dogs. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Serve hot on buns.

Now, since I was in a hurry, I just put the oil in a skillet and threw the hotdogs and onion in and browned them a bit. I mixed all of the other ingredients (forgot the vinegar!) and poured it in and then let that simmer for a while, until the sauce thickened up a bit. I did not measure, but it still came out delicious. I also added in about 1/2 teaspoon or so of liquid smoke. They were quite tasty and quick!

Saturday Morning Breakfast

We usually have a big breakfast once a week. During the week, it is usually oatmeal or toast and a glass of juice or cup of coffee. But on Saturday mornings . . .



We might have biscuits and gravy. Or pancakes. Or waffles. Or French toast. Hashbrowns. Omelettes. Eggs. Sausage. Bacon. Cinnamon Rolls. Homemade donuts. Sauteed mushrooms. Ham. Fruit compote. Fritatta.



You name it, we might cook it on Saturdays for breakfast. We mix and match and fix whatever sounds good. Or whatever we feel like. Breakfast is usually served by 8:30-9:00. We take our time eating, enjoying one another's company and visiting. It is peaceful. We might invite company, or just have family.

Last week DS was ill, so we did not fix a big breakfast. This week, he is feeling much better, so we got in gear and fixed pancakes. Dad had been shopping and went to Burger's Smokehouse in California, MO, which is about a 50-mile drive or so for us. We don't go a lot but we do love their products. He got some rope sausage, which is what you see in the picture above. I highly recommend it!

DS asked that I fix pancakes, so I did. I had some weeding to do before breakfast, so I fixed:

Shortcut "Sourdough" Flapjacks

1 package dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water

2 cups biscuit mix
2 cups milk
1 egg

Mix your yeast and water into a slurry. Meanwhile, stir the egg into the milk with a whisk. Mix egg mixture into biscuit mix and mix well with whisk. Stir in yeast mixture. Let sit on the counter (I cover with a clean towel) for 1 to 1-1/2 hours.

Cook over medium-low heat on a flat griddle until bubbly, flip and cook other side.



This dough is a little thin, but very good. Pancakes turn out very tender.

Serve warm with butter and syrup.



Y'all come on back now!

Sneaky

I love fresh tomatoes.

Big, thick, juicy slices of red, ripe tomato, sprinkled with salt and freshly ground pepper. Not much better!

Or thinner slices in a BLT: Crisp, salty, smokey bacon with lush tomato and crisp lettuce on toast and slathered with mayo or miracle whip.

Thickly sliced on a plate with ranch dressing on top. Or with olive oil and red wine vinegar - MMMMMM!

One of the biggest (in many senses of the word) garden pests is the tomato hornworm. They can decimate a tomato plant overnight! And if you get more than one on a plant, watch out! Big nasty green buggers! I went out for a small break from work this morning and thought hmmmmmm . . . one of our tomato plants looks rather strange. I went and looked and found . . .




Yup - tomato hornworms. I hate these things. They are just plain nasty. And hard to see! They say the best time is to check your plants at night with a flashlight. They don't like sun, so they hide during the day and do most of their eating at night. I immediately checked all of the other tomato plants and found another one onthe next plant over. I found evidence on 2 of the other plants, but could not find the worms. Then I happened to check the pepper plants. Yup, found 2 on there. One poor pepper plant only had 1 leaf left!! Greedy so-and-so's! We took and threw them onto the parsley plants, as we have an overabundance of that and don't care if they eat it all!

Well, if you can harvest some ripe tomatoes without the worms eating them all, here is a super quick recipe for ya! No pics of this one, sorry!

Crunch-Top Tomatoes

Tip: DO NOT make this in a cast-iron skillet. It will turn nasty.

2 Large, ripe tomatoes
1 sleeve Ritz crackers,crushed (can use club crackers)
4 Tablespoons butter (1/2 a stick), melted
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese (can use any cheese here)
Salt and pepper to taste
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 small onion, chopped fine
Italian seasoning to taste

Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in skillet. Slice tomatoes into thin wedges. Saute garlic and onion just until limp. Lay tomatoes on top in single layer. Saute lightly, turning once. In a bowl, mix salt, pepper, cracker crumbs, cheese and seasoning. Melt remaining butter in a bowl. Sprinkle cracker crumb mixture over tomatoes and drizzle with remaining butter. Let cook about another 3-5 minutes, just until your cheese gets melty. Do not turn or stir. Serve forth! This makes a great side for roasted chicken!

Drawing laughter

That is - Snicker Doodles! TeeHEE

I am here today (a day late - yeah and a few dollars short, too) to tell you about a really good cookie! Snickerdoodles. They are kinda plain Jane, but full of goodness! Kids love them, they are so easy to make and the taste - Wow! They travel well, too.

The name "snickerdoodle" originated from an old German baker named Paul Gramm. As the legend goes, his assistant (a young Irish cobbler named Christopher Rasnick) used to have the nickname "doodle". Often he performed fabulous tricks around the bakery that would cause the local villagers to "snicker". This is widely believed to be the way that this famous cookie was born.



The origin of the name “Snickerdoodle” has given rise to many theories but few facts. The Joy of Cooking claims that snickerdoodles are probably German in origin, and that the name is a corruption of the German word for "snail dumpling" (Schneckennudeln, or cinnamon-dusted sweet rolls).[citation needed] Similarly, one author states that “the word `snicker' may have come from a Dutch word `snekrad,' or the German word `Schnecke,` both describing a snail-like shape.” However, another author believes the name came from a New England tradition of fanciful, whimsical cookie names,and yet another cites a series of tall tales around a hero named Snickerdoodle from the early 1900s.

Well, however, they got their name, they are just plain delicious!

Snickerdoodles

1 cup Butter Flavor Crisco
1 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup brown sugar, packed
2 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla
3 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

Topping
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon

1In a large bowl, cream together the shortening and sugars with an electric mixer on high. Add egg, vanilla, salt, baking soda and cream of tartar. Mix on high until smooth and well incorporated. Add flour and mix well.

Preheat oven to 300°F and let the dough rest in the fridge for 30-60 minutes. In a small bowl, combine sugar and cinnamon for topping.

With your hands, roll the dough into balls about the size of a golf ball. Roll the balls in the cinnamon/sugar mixture and press them into an ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake for 10-14 minutes and NO LONGER! They will seem undercooked, but will be soft and chewy in the middle once they have cooled.



Enjoy!

Beauty

Beauty is only skin deep. That is such a true statement. I know several people who are beautiful on the surface, but down deep - UGH!

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. True again. There are somethings that I would not wear to a dog fight that my mother just dearly loves and vice versa.

Beauty does not last. Like flowers, beauty is often fleeting. Here today and gone tomorrow.

Beauty is a characteristic of a person, place, object or idea that provides a perceptual experience of pleasure, meaning or satisfaction.

The characterization of a person as “beautiful”, whether on an individual basis or by community consensus, is often based on some combination of inner beauty, which includes psychological factors such as personality, intelligence, grace, charm and elegance, and outer beauty, which includes physical factors, such as health, youthfulness, symmetry, averageness, and complexion.

Beauty comes from within. Inner beauty is a concept used to describe the positive aspects of something that is not physically observable.

Well, I received something that was truly beautiful this week. My friend, Marie, from A Year From Oak Cottage has an Etsy store called Blossom Time Creations. She is one talented lady. Her water colors are all fantastic, but I saw a canvas I just had to have! My bedroom is decorated with roses and this fit the bill perfectly. It is called "Gathering Rosebuds".



My photography I am afraid does not do it justice. Very lovely work. Hop on over to her blog site and take a look at her prints, there is a link to her Etsy on there. You can also contact her and commission something of your very own. She does fantastic work! I am so very pleased with my rosebud girl!

I am proud to own such a painting, not only because the painting itself is beautiful, but because it comes from such a beautiful person. Marie personifies beauty. She has such a sweet spirit.

Photobucket is being such a PAIN!!!!

Simple Woman's Daybook

Ha, finally got that figured out!

Peggy over at The Simple Woman does the Simple Woman's Daybook on Mondays. Hop on over and take a look, they are fantastic!

FOR TODAY (July 14, 2008)...

Outside My Window... We have bright sunshine and humidity! Summer has finally arrived!

I am thinking... that I still have a lot of laundry to get done today!

I am thankful for...Family. Even though we would like to kick them sometimes, they are always there for us.

From the kitchen...BLTs with our very own fresh tomatoes!!! With strawberry shortcake for dessert. Also I will be making bluberry scones, fresh cherry scones and peach scones.

I am wearing...Khaki skirt, pink T-shirt with embroidered flowers, blue houseslippers and wet hair up in a clip.

I am creating...A Victorian mansion cross-stitch picture.

I am going...to stay home as much as possible this week after vacationing.

I am reading...Jean Plaidy's historical novels. Soooo interesting!

I am hoping...that I can get everything done today.

I am hearing...helicopters. We live near an AFB and they go over all the time.

Around the house... Laundry, vacuuming, pick blueberries.

One of my favorite things... is Fresh tomatoes! I love them sliced with salt and pepper or ranch dressing, in sandwiches, in salad, you name it!

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week: Organize the freezers. Make a couple of aprons - Have to go get some contrast material first. Call my cousin about recovering my 2 chairs.

Here is picture thought I am sharing . . .



This is the old pump at the house where my grandmother was born out by Arcadia, NE.

Thank You . . . . Thank You Very Much!

As I sashay down the aisle, in my emerald gown, my flowing tresses blowing in the wind . . . . NOT! Actually, I would be schlumping down the aisle in my flip flops and my comfy PJs, carrying a bag of microwave popcorn and a Dr. Pepper!

My good friend Jan, over at Range Warfare has given me an award! She is a super sweet and fun-lovin' gal from England who somehow got transplanted to NE Oklahoma.

It is the Arte E Pico award and I am not really sure that I deserve it at all.



Here are the rules that accompany this award.

1. Choose 5 blogs that you consider deserving of this award for their creativity, design, interesting material, and their contribution to the blogging community.

2. Each award has to have the name of the author and a link to his/her blog.

3. Each award winner has to show the award and put the name of and link to the blog that presented her/him with the award.

4. The award winner and the one who has given the prize has to show the link of Arte Y Pico blog so everyone will know the origin of this award.

5. Show these rules.

Ok, now it is my turn to pass it on!

I choose:

Angela, of Stressed Out Mum Seeks Inspiration, because she is such a lovely person and a constant inspiration to me!

Jan, of What do I Want 2 Cook Today for all of the fantastic food that she cooks. Besides being a great cook, Jan is a wonderful person, too!

Nic, at Cherrapeno, who is a beautiful person and does fantastic photography (besides great-sounding recipes).

Sue, at Back to the Table who has a heart as big as Texas!

Susan, at Comfort Suite for her fantastic brand-new blog!

Whew! I hope that you all enjoy, I am going to hire Marie to cater our after-awards party, with Tulip to help!

The Giants are Coming, The Giants are Coming . . .

Ok, today I am going to tell you a rather kooky story from when I was a child with an overactive imagination. I have always loved to imagine things. That is one of the reasons that most of the time I would rather read a book than watch TV. Thataway, I can imagine on my own what the people look like, etc.

Well, when going back to my childhood home this time, I just had to take some pictures so I could tell you all this story.

I am going to start with this picture.



These are haystacks. My Grandpa used to make haystacks like this. They kind of look like big loaves of bread, right? (humor me here, ok?) Anyway . . . here in Missouri, you don't see many haystacks like this. But in Nebraska, at least around the area where I grew up, they are quite common. And I have always thought that they looked like big loaves of homemade bread.

Now on to this picture.



Now if you are looking at that thing thru a child's eyes, doesn't it look like a giant? He is marching across the land, up over the hills, carrying those wires.

Here is a better picture, to get the whole effect.



Now, they have these thingies all over up there. Well, when I was a child I used to dream a lot and one night I had a dream. I had to run and tell everyone!! Quickly! The giants were coming, they were marching across the land and they were going to eat all of the bread/haystacks. They would slice them with the wires like a knife and eat it all and there would be no more hay for the cows. Of course, I never told anyone about this silly dream until this time when we went to Nebraska. Yup, they thought I was pretty silly. I can remember riding in a car and keeping an eye on the evil giants, silently warning them to stay away from our haystacks!

Ok, now you all know that I am full of silliness! Or as some folks would say, full of beans. So without further ado . . .

Baked Beans by Raquel
Serves a bunch of hungry folks

4 (1 lb) cans of pork-n-beans
Molasses
Ketchup
Mustard
1 onion, diced fine
Bacon
Worchestershire sauce
Chili powder
Liquid Smoke
Garlic powder
Coarse ground black pepper
Barbecue sauce

Get a fairly large baking pan. Probably at least a 2 quart-3 quart one. I used a 9 x 13 cake pan. Open the beans and pour them in the pan. (One of the nice things about this recipe is it only dirties up one pan!) Now over top of that put your diced onion, squirt in some ketchup, mustard and BBQ sauce. Amounts are to your preference, I probably use 1/2 cup ketchup, 1 tablespoon of mustard and at least 1/2 cup BBQ sauce. Sprinkle in some worchestershire sauce, probably about 1-1/2 teaspoons. A sprinkle of chili powder, about 1/2 teaspoon of liquid smoke, about 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper. Stir it all up real good. Now lay some pieces of bacon on top. I usually partially cook my bacon first in the microwave, that way they are not so greasy. I cut it into large squares. Just lay them on top and pop them in the oven and let 'er cook! Lowish heat, around 300 degrees F for at least an hour, maybe longer.

Sorry, no pics of this one either, it was gone in about 10 minutes!

Old Time Goodness

Summer time. Bees lazily wending their way from flower to flower. The drone of locusts in the sleepy, hazy twilight. Heat shimmering off of the pavement. A tall pitcher of lemonade, ice cubes clinking, as the condensation gathers on the outside. There is just something about summertime that makes you wax nostalgic, wishing for a simpler time, when life moved slower.

When you played baseball with a stick instead of a proper bat, and it was a street game or just a friendly game, no parents were allowed. Teams were chosen by the "captains" and the captains changed every day. No uniforms, either, just old t-shirts and shorts or jeans. Old sneakers, not cleats. The words that were shouted were friendly, teasing, encouraging, not harsh and critical.

Or maybe, instead of playing baseball, you climbed up in a tree and went adventuring with a book. You sailed the seven seas with Long John Silver and his pirates or went under the sea with Captain Nemo. You explored far distant lands, perhaps even blasted off into space. I was usually with the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew as they rid the world of evil-doers! Perhaps you spent some time with Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson in the foggy streets of Victorian London.

You played outside unless it was raining. You got good and dirty, then you came in and took a bath before bed. Once a week or so, you went to the library and got some books to take with you when you climbed the tree to read. You got up early and helped your Mom in the garden.

Lunches were uncomplicated affairs during those times - bologna sandwiches and some chips, maybe an apple. And maybe, if you had been really good, cookies. My mother hates to make cookies. You can always tell her first batch from her last batch. The last batch are about twice the size. She wants to be done!

These cookies make me think of a tall glass of lemonade on a hazy summer's day back when I was a kid. Recipe comes from The King Arthur Flour Cookie Companion.

The Essential Chewy Sugar Cookie
3 dozen cookies

3/4 cup unsalted butter
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup light corn syrup
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
2-1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 cup coarse or granulated sugar, for coating

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a big bowl, beat everything but the flour together. Stir in flour.

Put coarse sugar in a shallow dish. Drop the dough by tablespoonfuls into the sugar, rolling the balls to coat them.

Place on prepared sheets.

Bake for 10 minutes or until the edges are just barely beginning to brown. Remove from oven, cool on sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to rack to cool completely.

Serve with a big glass of ice-cold lemonade on a hot summer day, close your eyes and daydream about a slower pace of life!



I see that I am going to have to use a different photo storage thing, photobucket is being very recalcitrant!

If these stairs could talk . . . .

How often have we heard that expression? If these walls could talk, what stories they would have to tell! On vacation this past week, we stayed in the house where my grandmother and 4 of her brothers and sisters were born. We estimated the house must be at least 100 years old. It is out in the middle of nowhere, probably at least 7 miles off a minor highway, on an old gravel/sand road. My grandmother had one sister and 4 brothers. Of these children, 3 of the boys never married. One of them was born in this house, lived in this house all of his life, and died in the house. Wow! Don't hear of that much anymore!

What I found most amazing I think, was the stairs in this house! They are very narrow and actually have grooves worn in the steps from countless feet going up and down them! It sent goosey-shivers up my spine when I first saw them. I wish I had a dime for every time someone went up or down them - I believe I could go on vacation with that money!

Sorry about this picture, not sure if you can see what I mean, but Photobucket is being stupid.



We have determined that the stairs were actually added later, as they go across a window! It gave me just a warm, fuzzy feeling to know that I was sleeping in that house where SO much history was!

We had a great time, the food was wonderful! One of my cousins works at an Ore-Ida plant, so he fried onion rings, potato planks, mozzarella sticks, brownie bites . . . We had hamburgers on the grill, watermelon and I made some Pasta Salad.

Pasta Salad

Serves at least 12

1 lb. dried pasta (I used penne)
Water to cook pasta
1 can sliced black olives
1 green pepper, sliced
1 medium red onion, sliced
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and sliced
1 large ripe tomato, seeded and diced
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (or whatever your preference is)
1 small package sliced pepperoni
1 bottle Kraft Zesty Italian Dressing

Cook pasta until al dente in boiling water. Drain, but do not rinse. Put pasta in large bowl and add all but cheese and pepperoni. Pour over 1/2 bottle of dressing and mix well. Let sit until cool. Add in cheese and pepperoni, mix well. It may seem a little dry and if so, add in some more dressing. Pop it in the fridge for a few hours. Before serving take out and stir. Add the rest of the bottle of dressing. Serve forth.

Now, I usually add in some broccoli and cauliflower, maybe some sliced raw zucchini. You can use whatever veggies you like, whatever cheese (I like a combination of parmesan, sharp cheddar and mozzarella) and whatever kind of meat, ham or what have you.

No pictures, I think this was gone within about 15 minutes of my putting it out.

I'm It Again!

I have been tagged for this meme from Angie at Can You All Hear Me At The Back. She is a lovely gal from England and I really enjoy reading her blog.

Here are the rules: You tell 6 random things about yourself, then you tag someone else. They have to read your blog, then they fill in 6 random things about themselves, and link back to you.

Anyway . . .

1. I was once the youngest weather observer in the United States. We lived at an airport at the time, and had quite a big class, I think about 20 people. I was bored, it was in the summer, so I went along and took the class. I passed with a good grade and got my license. I believe I was either 10 or 11 at the time. Later they came in and tried to take my license away, stating I was too young. One of the men who worked in Kansas City went all the way to DC to plead my case and won!

2. I was born in Germany. My Dad was stationed there and so I was born in the Stork's Nest in Weissbaden, Germany. My brothers were just sure that I would speak German, having been born there and all!

3. I can't drink coffee. I love the taste and especially the smell! But it will make me sick every time! I can use a bit, like in brownies or cake, but not to drink it straight.

4. I can write with my left foot. Yup, stick a pen between my toes and I can write. Not very legibly, I will admit, but I can do it!

5. My favorite color is green. I think that green is a very unappreciated color most of the time. GO GREEN!

6. I love to can. Making pickles, preserves, I am there! But I like to make the unusual things, not just the same old regular things. This year, I have already made my Rose Petal Jam and Lime Jelly. I am looking forward to making: Concord Grape Conserve, Tangerine jelly, pumpkin preserves, mustard pickles, plum sauce, almond syrup, tomatillo salsa, vanilla peach syrup, red onion marmelade, chocolate cherry jam and mint jelly! Whoo HOO!

That is it folks, I am done!

So I tag:

Sylvie: A Pot of Tea and a Biscuit

Sue: Back To The Table

Cheryl: Cookin' Dunkin Style

Angela: Stressed Out Mum Seeks Inspiration

Julie: Tulip's Kitchen

Jan: Range Warfare

Back from vacation

I am back. I had such a great time, I wish that you all could have been there. I got to see a lot of my cousins that I haven't seen in a while. And aunts and uncles, etc. The old home place has not changed much. It was so good to see. We went into the town where I lived in grade school and so many of the places I remember have not changed at all! I got some pictures and I will be sharing them with you as time goes along.

We had an eventful trip on the way up, it rained on us about half of the way, we got kinda lost because we had an old atlas and they moved the Missouri River bridge at Lexington so we had to detour about 40 miles out of our way, and in Kansas we had a tire belt that busted so we had a blow out, had to change the tire and buy a new one. But all in all, it was ok.

The weather was gorgeous the whole time we were there, sunny during the day, but not too hot, cool at night and not a lot of wind. No bugs. I had forgotten how beautiful Nebraska was. The rolling hills of prarie. You can see, literally, for miles. The miles and miles of crops. Corn, wheat, soybeans. The breadbasket of the nation. Amber waves of grain. Towns are usually few and far between. The farms are big. The home place is half a mile wide and a mile long. Half of a section.

We had a beautiful drive, the wild flowers are all in bloom. Queen Anne's lace (white), chicory (blue), black-eyed Susans (yellow and black), Indian paintbrush (bright orange), clover (purple and white), bird's foot trefoil (golden yellow), daisies (white and yellow), purple coneflower. God has been busy with his paintbrushes!

The drive back was very nice, we took the sceneic route, stopped a few times and took pictures, stopped and ate. All in all, we had a lovely trip. It was just too short, but aren't they all?

Before we left, Dad requested that I make him a Cottage Pie to "tide him over" while we were gone! Mind you, this is a short-cut version!

Cottage Pie

1 pound ground beef
1 small onion, diced
1 can beef or mushroom gravy
1 (1 pound) bag frozen mixed vegetables (corn, carrots, peas, green beans and lima beans)
1 can mushroom stems and pieces, drained
5-6 medium-sized potatoes, mashed with milk and butter
Shredded cheese (I used mozarella and cheddar)


Brown the ground beef and onion in a skillet and drain. Meanwhile, cook the mixed vegs in a small amount of salted water and drain. Cook your potatoes and mash. Season well.

Mix the beef, vegs, gravy and mushrooms. Season well. Put in a greased casserole dish. Pile the potatoes on top. Sprinkle with cheese and bake for about 30 minutes, until cheese is melted and pie is hot through. Serve with crusty bread and a green salad.

On Vacation

It is official - I am on vacation. Well, actually tomorrow. But I promise when I come back, I will have loads of goodies for you!

We are headed to Nebraska tomorrow, to the place where my mother's mother was born. My uncle inherited the place and wants everyone to come and see how he has fixed it up. I am sure it will be fun (albeit totally disorganized).

One of the nicest things is that we will be able to stop and get some homemade sausages from the butcher shop in the town where we used to live. He makes homemade weiners, polish and garlic bologna that will knock your socks off! They are delicious and we are picking some up to bring home with us!

Also, DS is going to be able to meet his paternal grandfather for the first time ever! I am glad, as family is so important and no one is getting any younger.

So I apologize for not posting, but I will see you when I return next week! Much love to everyone!