Tomato Jam

This has been a banner year for tomatoes here in central Indiana.  I did not put up one tomato last summer, but am making up for it this year! After freezing over 20 quarts of fresh tomatoes to be used for chili, soups and sauces, I thought it was time to move on to something new and exciting. I found this great recipe from Eve Fox at The Garden of Eating, for Tomato Jam. I gave it a try, and it received rave revues from the whole family. As I write this, I have my sixth batch simmering on the stove! So if you have an abundance of tomatoes and would love to try something fun, here is the recipe:

You will need 5lbs. of fresh tomatoes, washed and cored.

Next, chop the tomatoes into little pieces, skins and all. After they are all chopped, I would recommend letting them drip out in a strainer in the sink for a bit to drip out the juice. This will cut your cooking time way down.

Place all of your chopped tomatoes into a large stainless steel pot. 

Add:  3 1/2 cups of sugar

          8 tablespoons of lime juice, lemon juice, or apple cider vinegar

           2 teaspoons of freshly grated ginger

           1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

           1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

           1 tablespoon salt

           1 tablespoon chili flakes

 Stir it all together, and turn the heat on. I cooked my jam higher at first to cook off the liquid quicker. You will want to stir the mixture often at this point. As the jam thickens, reduce the heat to prevent scorching. Continue to stir more frequently as it thickens. If it does stick to the bottom, do NOT scrape the burnt stuff up when you stir it as you will have scorched chunks floating in your jam. You can pour it off into a different pot, or stir very carefully. Continue cooking until it is a nice thick chunky mixture. This will take several hours, so start early in the day! Ladle it into canning jars while it is hot. Process the jars in a hot water bath for 15 minutes. If you have never done this, you can find good directions online. I believe that the jam could also be frozen in freezer containers.

This jam makes a great dipping sauce for chicken, egg rolls, anything you would use a spicy dipping sauce for. We poured some over a block of cream cheese and spread it on crackers for an absolutely delicious treat! This will make 3-5 pints.

I hope that you enjoy this recipe as much as we have!

Diana

I love to Paint!!!

I am a woman who loves change! Variety is the spice of life to be sure. There are some things, however, which cannot be changed.  It is these things which sometimes cause us frustration, anxiety and sometimes grief.  I have found in these things that God usually wants to change Me. But, when the mood for change comes,  many times something can safely be done. I have been known to change furniture around in  the middle of a sleepless night, to everyone's surprise!  My favorite tool, however, is that magical formula called...PAINT!!!

Quite a few years ago, my daughters and I began collecting paint chips. I believe it coincided with Martha Stewart paint colors and the lovely chips that were available at the paint stores. On rainy days we would get them out and play with them, dreaming of rooms that we could paint. Paint is an inexpensive means of changing the personality of an entire room.  For instance, our family room has been a constant source of irritation for me as I didn't seem able to achieve the homey feel that I wanted. I had painted the room six times in our nine years of living in this house and it never quite felt right to me.

This photo shows the room on the day that it's big change finally came, with everything pushed to the center for the paint job. It was bland and uninviting.When I made my way to the paint store, I landed on a color that I seem to have picked out several times before...once for a bathroom, a kitchen and a deck.  I guess I just like it! So the paint job began and when it was finished, I knew that I had finally found a color that I could live with and enjoy.

So much better! I bought a few remnants to recover a few throw pillows and purchased a lovely rug on clearance at Home Goods which is one of my favorite stores! The taupe walls definitely set a beautiful background for our furniture and draw us into the room. This paint color is a Walmart paint called Mushroom Taupe. It is a very versatile color and very restful. 

Need a change?? Grab that paint brush and get creative!

Diana

Chickens!!!!!!

 Chickens are so much fun!! We have had our little blended "family" of 14 hens for nine days now, thanks  to some very generous folks.  When the twelve new ladies first joined our two survivors, things were a bit interesting.  Our girls looked a bit startled when the strange big hens filled up their little yard and made themselves at home in their coop.  Having been taken from a big flock, the new hens were a bit skittish for a while, and Violet and Daisy defended their territory. Now, however, they all meander happily around our yard, scratching in the grass and making holes.  They are no longer afraid of us and seem right at home.       

                               

 Our two girls still stick together, but they mix it up with the others now. We have had 26 lovely brown eggs so far!

All of our little grandchildren love chasing the hens around the yard, hoping to catch one to hold.

Our visitors are learning to watch out for chickens crossing the drive.

Speaking of eggs, I was fixing our dinner this evening and thought this would be a fun recipe to share. This dish has been a family favorite for several decades now, and is easy on the pocketbook as well as very delicious.

Spaghetti a la Carbonara

Cook 1 1-lb package of spaghetti in salted water until tender.

Meanwhile, cook 6-8 slices of bacon in a skillet until crisp.  Crumble the bacon, reserving the drippings.

Beat:  4 eggs

          5 T. cream

          salt  and pepper

Drain the spaghetti, but don't rinse! Return the noodles to the pot.  Add the egg mixture and stir over low heat until the eggs coat the noodles and dry. Stir in the bacon and drippings.  Serve with parmesan cheese and freshly ground pepper.

Enjoy!

Diana

Chickens at The Shoe

 Please meet Violet (in the background), and her friend Daisy. This is our chicken flock.  My husband has been dreaming and planning for chickens for a couple of years now.  He spent the winter designing a coop that he thought would be a unique and ingenious creation, able to be easily moved throughout our yard!  With  the help of our son-in-law, Jason, the coop was made over a period of several months.  While the coop was being built, little chicks were growing in a box in our garage...23 to be exact. Unfortunately, the chickens got ready to be moved before the coop did, so we installed them outside,  inside of an electric poultry fence.  They did fine the first night, but the second morning brought disaster!!  When I went to check on them, only one chicken was left in the fence! Several were lying dead  outside the fence and the rest were gone! While Allen was burying the victims, we saw a big, red fox come to look for the chickens. We figured out that the fox must have scared the chickens so that they escaped through the small holes in the netting and were electrocuted as a result. We were so sad...all of us. Now we had one lonely chicken whom we promptly named Violet. Violet became very attached to Sophie, following her everywhere! We were sad for her, knowing that she needed a buddy!  Imagine our joy when our neighbors found one more lonely chicken wandering around in their bushes! Daisy and Violet are now inseparable.  They are Survivors, to be sure.

 We are hoping to get some more soon to add to the flock. I will  keep you posted as we grow into this new endeavor!  We hope to have fun with the chickens and perhaps add a few turkeys and ducks to the group. This has been a very hot and dry summer so far, so hopefully we will be able to get the girls through.

Life certainly throws us some unexpected curves, and we learned about being prepared!

Have a happy and thoughtful 4th of July tomorrow, being thankful for the freedoms we have enjoyed in this good country of ours!

Diana

Puff Pancakes and other things

 

It has been an interesting spring this year. We started out the spring with summer. The beginning of March brought a crazy heat wave which left me feeling confused and uncertain of what to do. Should we open the pool or get out summer clothes? Perhaps plant the garden and turn on the air conditioning? It was very strange, but not permanent, and soon we were back to spring. Then everyone was complaining of being cold. Not me...I like it cool.

We added a new little grandson to our family this spring. Little Ezra joined his two sisters and  brother almost six weeks ago now. He is a dear little baby and we are happy he is here safely.

Our family also experienced loss a couple of weeks ago, as our 23 year-old nephew was killed in an automobile accident.  We grieve with Allen's sister and her family as they adjust to life without this well-loved son and brother. His passing has reminded us all once again, of the uncertainty of life and the need to live every day well and for the glory of God.

We will soon have another high school graduate. Our eighth child, Sam is soon to graduate!  He has grown into such a fine young man who makes his mother so happy every day.

And, only one month until our family vacation on the Outer Banks of North Carolina!!This will be our sixth year and we are really looking forward to the trip! We all love the beach and being there all together is even better!

We have recently become puff pancake addicts,even though it is embarrassing to admit it! We find that they make the perfect dinner or breakfast and I suppose even a hard-to-beat snack! If you have never made one, you will be delighted with how very easy and delicious they are. You do need an oven-proof 10 inch skillet to make this recipe.

• Blend the following ingredients in a blender or with a whisk: 4 eggs, 1 cup of milk, 1 cup of flour.
• Let the batter stand at room temperature for one hour if at all possible. The pancake will stay light after it is baked. Otherwise it falls pretty flat as you will notice on the next picture.(I forgot to let it sit!)
• Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. While the oven is heating, I put 1/4 cup of butter in the skillet and place it in the oven to heat. The pan is ready when the butter is sizzling, but don't let it burn!!
• Pour the batter into the skillet and bake for 2 minutes. Sprinkle 1/3 cup of mini chocolate chips over the pancake and return it to the oven to continue baking for 15-20 minutes or until puffed and nicely browned. 
• Top with a sprinkle of confectioner's sugar and fresh strawberries and serve immediately.
• A word of caution: Puff Pancakes are highly addictive! 
• ENJOY!!

Here are a few laundry tips from our good friend, Mrs. Dunwoody!

• For ring around the collar:  Apply a paste of vinegar and baking soda and let set for a quarter to a half an hour. Then wash as usual.
• For extra dirty work clothes:  Try adding 1/2 cup of ammonia to the wash. Clothes will come out extra clean.

Enjoy the recipe and let me know if you like it!

Diana

Time Sure Flies!

I can hardly believe that it is already the last full week of February! It seemed when I was younger, that January and February dragged by.  Not any longer...they now keeps pace with the rest of the year. This has been a full winter so far. We have had five family birthdays since Christmas and have gutted a bathroom and begun the rebuilding process. I am teaching three bible studies, doing lots of reading,  homeschooling 

Sophie,and trying to keep my house clean and organized!  Sophie and I have taken up making dog treats to sell. Max gets to be the taste-tester which he likes. He hovers around the oven while they are baking. He is so finicky that if he likes them, I guess that other dogs will as well. I like that I can make them small for him, since he eats so many treats a day.  This is a recipe that Max likes pretty well and is inexpensive to make.

SAVORY TREATS

Mix in your mixing bowl:

2 t. yeast

1/2 cup warm water

Add:

2 T. dried parsley

2 T. minced garlic

1 1/2 c. chicken bouillon

1 cup oats

1/4 c. brown sugar

1 egg

Let the mixture sit until the oats are soft and then mix in 5-6 cups of whole wheat flour. I add the last cup or so as needed to make a nice dough which I knead until it is smooth. I divide the dough into 4 parts and roll each one into a rope. then I slice the rope into bits. You can make them any size you want, depending on the size of your dog.You can place them pretty close together on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 325 for 30 minutes. Turn them over and bake another 15 minutes. I let them stay on a sheet in the oven while the oven cools down so that the treats will be good and hard. After they are totally cool, store them in a sealed container.

We have had some cold and flu in our family this month. Susanna had a lung infection and a cough. We discovered a recipe for cinnamon milk that we tweaked a bit. This milk gave her a bit of relief when she was really sick.  We mixed a cup of milk with 1/2 t. cinnamon,  1/2 t. ginger, 1 t. vanilla and honey to taste. Heat it all up until it is nice and warm and enjoy! It tastes a bit like a chai and was quite soothing for the cough.

Thanks for reading!

Diana

Diana's Homemade Granola

 Here it is, the middle of January already! We are waiting for our "First Big Snow Event" of the season. The first thing I did this morning was to make a fresh batch of granola since we were almost out! Yogurt and granola have become a breakfast staple around here, especially for Susanna who leaves for school before the crack of dawn. 

I thought you would enjoy this recipe as well, since I already gave you the instructions for the wonderful homemade yogurt. By the way, something I have noticed the last few times we have made yogurt:  Dannon gives the best results.  I am not sure why this is, but it seems that the yogurt made from the more expensive Greek yogurts do not have as creamy of a texture

Diana's Granola

Mix together in a large mixing bowl:

3 cups of rolled oats

1/2 cup coconut

1/2 cup nuts

(you can also add wheat germ. flax seed or whatever you like at this point)

Melt together in a small saucepan:

1/4 cup butter

1/3 cup honey

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 T. water

1/4 t. salt

1 t. vanilla

Combine the two mixtures in the bowl until well combined and then spread it all on a large cookie sheet. I bake the granola at 300 degrees for about 30 minutes or until it is a nice golden brown. You need to be careful to set your timer for ten minutes and then stir it every ten minutes or it will burn and not taste good at all. So I stay right in the kitchen so that I don't miss the timer! After it is baked, you may add any dried fruit you like.  Let the granola cool on the sheet and then store it in an airtight container.  I always double the recipe and use two cookie sheets since it is a bit of trouble to make in the first place. I hope you enjoy this recipe and make it your own by adding the kind of nuts and fruits that your family likes.

With spring right around the corner, I made a batch of honeysuckle soap with calendula petals from the herb garden. My house smells so good!! We have not had a bit of Mrs. Dunwoody"s wisdom lately, so here is some for you to enjoy:

Cough suppressant:
Mix apple cider vinegar and honey to taste in a small glass jar. Take a tablespoon as often as needed.

Natural Soother for Coughs:
Infuse honey, cloves and lemon in hot water as a natural remedy for coughs and sore throats.  Sucking a whole clove will quiet tickles in the throat.

Heartburn:
Add a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar to a glass of water and sip it while eating. Another remedy is to add 1 teaspoon of lemon juice to half glass of water and drink.

Thanks for reading!
Diana

Reflections on Christmas

Of all family celebrations and holidays, I think that Christmas is the one most interwoven with tradition.  There are the common ones such as singing carols, gift-giving and decorations. But there are also traditions unique to each family, the ones that evolve as your family does! For instance, this will be the 36th year that I have baked yummy Christmas Bread on Christmas Eve to have for breakfast on Christmas morning.  My mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother all did the same and my oldest daughter, Elisabeth has continued the tradition. We bake the same cookies every year even though we try new ones here and there. We always open our stockings first before the gifts, and open gifts youngest to oldest and around again! About 22 years ago we memorized the Christmas story from Luke 2 as a family. Every year since, we quote it as a family. We love to sing Christmas carols together in the evening.  When the older children were small. they put on a program for Christmas that we performed for grandparents and sometimes the local nursing home. We take lots of pictures to enjoy in years to come.  Because of all of the tradition, we mark the passing of time more poignantly from year to year. Change seems so obvious.

I usually get so caught up in all of the preparation, that I miss many of the small blessings of the moment.  This year, I plan to to slow down and savor the sweet moments with my family and all of my little grandchildren. The mess will wait and dishes will still be there when everyone is gone, but we will not have these special moments again.  Next year, they will be a year older and it will be different.

I also plan to take some quiet moments to reflect on the wonder of Emmanuel, God With Us. It is hard to conceive of,  isn't it?  Imagine the Creator of the Universe becoming a tiny, helpless baby to rescue the souls of men!!

Lord, draw our hearts to the stable to refresh our childlike wonder at our Messiah's birth.  Help us to live our lives today in anticipation of His return to rule the earth.

Joy to the World!!!

Diana

Delicious Homemade Yogurt

 This has absolutely nothing to do with the Christmas season, except for the fact that I have been so busy sewing etc., that I have not been cooking!  We have been eating lots of yogurt with homemade granola and fruit. A few months ago, I started making yogurt and have been so fabulously successful, that I thought that I would explain the process to you, so that you can try it yourself.  This is so much cheaper than buying it at the grocery and so handy.

After much experimentation with a heat source, I finally settled on a candle warmer as the perfect incubator for yogurt! One may easily be purchased for about four dollars at a craft store or candle department of Walmart. You will also need a carton of Dannon yogurt (I use vanilla) or any other that has active cultures. Now we are ready to go.

I have several quart sized jars that I use for the process.  You will fill your jar about 2/3 with milk and heat it in the microwave for  a minute or so, just until the chill is off but it is not hot. We like vanilla yogurt, not being purists, so I add 1/3 cup of sugar and 1 teaspoon of vanilla to the milk .  Next you will stir in two tablespoons of yogurt into the mix and stir with a whisk until it is well mixed. Then I top off the jar with either half and half or more milk and put the lid on.

                                                                           

Now plug in the warmer and set your jar inside a bowl of warm water and there you go! About eight hours later you should have a jar of creamy yogurt. I check it to be sure with a little taste test, and if it tastes like yogurt, I wipe off the jar and set it inside the freezer for two hours and then into the frig for use. 

When I buy my carton of yogurt, I get the quart size and freeze portions in little muffin cups for future yogurt batches. I use silicone cups that I can then pop out and store in a ziplock bag in the freezer. I have been using the bit of yogurt left from a jar to make the next jar sometimes.  You can do this once or twice, but the culture begins to weaken. I probably make a quart a day because we all like it so much. Next time I will give you the granola recipe that I like!

Wishing you a happy day!

Diana

Light of the World

We have had a very dark December so far, cloudy days with lots of rain and about four inches of snow! Yesterday, however, the sun  came out!  What a difference the light made coming in the windows of my house.  For one thing, I could see the dust bunnies a bit better. I had more energy and enthusiasm for my house chores and studies. Everything is better in the light.  Isaiah the prophet spoke of this is the dark days that he lived, hundreds of years before the first Christmas:

"The people who walk in darkness will see a great light;

Those who live in a dark land, the light will shine on them." Isaiah 9:2

The shepherds who received the announcement of the child's birth were surrounded by the light of the glory of God. The Light had come!

One of my favorite verses is II Corinthians 4:6: "For God, who said,"Light shall shine out of darkness," is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ."

We need not walk in darkness any longer.

This past Sunday we went to hear our son Isaiah sing at his church and heard a song we have never heard before. The words of the chorus were especially good:

Celebrate the Child who is the Light

Now the darkness is over.

No more wandering in the night,

Celebrate the Child who is the Light....Michael Card

This Christmas season, look into the face of Christ, and celebrate the Child who is the Light!!

Our family loves Christmas lights! I tried hanging lights on our house one time without much lasting success, so we have a lot of lights in our house instead! I love the warm glow they give. We also enjoy the lights that others light their houses with, so every evening car ride becomes an oohing and ahhing time for us. Over the years we have enjoyed drinking hot chocolate while we "enjoy" the tree.  I know that you can get many flavors and types in packages in the store, but there is nothing quite like homemade! Here is a recipe that I have been making since I was 12 years old. It is simple, but delicious. You can top it with marshmallows or whipped cream and of course a peppermint stick makes a great stirrer!!

• Hot Chocolate

In a saucepan mix:  2 T. cocoa

                              3 T. sugar

                              1/4 t. salt

Stir on 1/2 cup of hot water. Bring this mixture to a boil, stirring. Add 2 cups of milk and heat, but don't boil!

Now, make your family some hot chocolate and enjoy your tree together and celebrate. The Light of the world has come!

• Blessings!
• Diana

Away in a Manger

When we were small, we opened our gifts on Christmas Eve. I am told that it was a German tradition carried by my father's side of the family.  We loved it...nighttime is such a magical time.  My Dad would take us for a ride in the car to look at all of the beautiful lights in the neighborhood, and while we were away Santa would come. Every year it was the same until there was no longer any little children to take for the ride. We would open our gifts...always a new nightgown for me and a doll, a puzzle and a game, a book and of course socks and underwear!  But always one thing to delight each of us...how parents love to delight their children!! While we opened our gifts, we would snack on special appetizers and cookies.  This was the only time I remember that we could eat in the living room!!  One of our favorites was my Mom's Salmon Ball which she served with various little crackers.

Salmon Ball

• 1 can of pink salmon, skin and bones removed
• 8 oz. cream cheese
• 1 T. lemon juice
• 2 t. grated onion
• 1 t. horseradish
• 1/4 t. salt
• 1/2 t. liquid smoke

Mix it all together and shape it into 2 balls on waxed paper. Roll the balls in 1/2 cup chopped pecans mixed with 1 T. minced parsley.  This spread is best made a couple of days in advance so that the flavors can blend. I wrap each ball in plastic wrap and refrigerate.

One year when our children were little, we played a little game during the Advent season to get ready for Baby Jesus to come. I made a little manger to put on a table where the children could reach it easily. Next to the manger was a basket of little pieces of straw. If the children did an unseen kindness for someone, they could place a piece of straw on the manger to make the Babe's bed ready for his arrival. I remember that being a very fun Advent time with much sneaking around! On Christmas morning, the tiny Baby Jesus was asleep on their bed of hay!

One of the first Christmas songs our little ones learned was, of course, the favorite of all little children:

Away in the Manger.  Stanzas one and two first appeared in the Little Children's Book published in 1885.  The third verse was written by a pastor in the early 1900's to be used  in a children's program.

Away in a manger, no crib for  a bed, the little Lord Jesus laid down His sweet head; the stars in the sky looked down where He lay, the little Lord Jesus, asleep on the hay.

The cattle are lowing; the Baby awakes, but little Lord Jesus, no crying He makes; I love Thee, Lord Jesus! look down from the sky, and stay by my cradle till morning is nigh.

Be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask Thee to stay close by me forever, and love me, I pray; bless all the dear children in Thy tender care, and fit us for heaven to live with Thee there.

"And she gave birth to her firstborn son, and wrapped Him in swaddling clothes, and laid Him in a manger because there was no room for them in the inn" Luke 2:7

"Let every heart a manger be."

Peace,

Diana.

A Season of Anticipation

It is hard to believe that it is already December 1! Christmas is near and soon after that,  2011 will be history, with a new year begun. This is my favorite time of year for many reasons.  I love the beginning of winter...that "cozying in" that we do when the weather gets cold. I love building fires in the fireplace and sitting down to knit or read with a cup of tea...better yet if there is snow to look at outside! Bread, cookies and soup all smell so good and taste so satisfying this time of year.

Growing up in a very traditional family, I love the 

Christmas season for its traditions.  Filling the house with Christmas music, decorations, lights and hidden surprises brings anticipation and delight to all. We bake our traditional cookies, bread and other treats to share with our neighbors, friends and family. Everyone looks forward to Christmas with anticipation that builds each day!  Our 36 years of family life have seen some traditions come and some go as life has changed. It is hard not to look back with a certain wistfulness at those early days. But, even though life has changed, it is still good and the new traditions are treasured with the old.

This month, I would like to share some family recipes and traditions along with some Christmas carols and Scripture. I am really doing this for me, to help me focus on the true meaning of Christmas.  It is so easy to settle for the impoverished version that the world offers and miss the wonder of that Baby in the manger!

One of my favorite Christmas Passages is found in The first chapter of John's Gospel:

"And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth."  There is a song sung by the group  "Glad" that says, "As His mother held Him closely it was hard to understand, that her baby not yet speaking, was the Word of God to man!" What a mystery - that the eternal God and Creator of all, was veiled in flesh and dwelt among us. 

Emmanuel..God With Us!

Diana

A Heart of Integrity

I hate to admit this, but when I was a young mother I watched a couple of soap operas!!! I found them one day when I was baking and looking for something to watch while the cookies went in and out of the oven.  Seemed innocent enough, after all my own grandmother had her "shows" she watched while she ironed!! Funny though how those two little shows began to orchestrate the way that I planned my entire day! Laundry to fold? Save it for the soap...after all, I was not an idle woman! Lunch by a certain time, then naps , then it was "my shows".

I began to notice, though, that my oldest daughter began to know who the characters were. She was only four and no longer napping.  Hmmm....maybe I should quit.  But they were my friends!! One morning very early I was up reading my Bible with Baby Rachel on my lap. It seemed that no matter how early I got up to read, someone got up with me. As I read out loud to Rachel from Psalms, I read this verse from Psalm 101:  "I will walk within my house in the integrity of my heart. I will set no worthless thing before my eyes." WOW!  Right away my heart identified these shows as  "worthless things" and the desire of my heart to have integrity. I told the Lord then that I agreed with Him that these friends had to go.  I talked with my husband and we decided to take a 30 day t.v. fast with our family. Sounded hard, but I was willing to give it a try.  We found that we loved having no t.v. in our home. We began the tradition of reading aloud with our children in the evenings. Over the seven years that we were t.v. less, we read The Little House series, the Narnia books, Anne of Green Gables, Little Women and many other great books. Our children learned to be very creative players, dancing and putting on programs for all the many holidays. We memorized Scripture together at the rate of 5 verses a week, reviewing past portions on weekends. Taking the show on the road, we visited our local nursing home to quote our verses and sing songs. Our Children learned to love music: Psalty and Colby, Integrity worship music and Hooked on Classics were some of our favorites.  What a great time we had! The older kids still talk about these times and how important they were to them.  When you read God's Word, be prepared to take action and see how the Lord blesses your obedience and desire to have a heart of integrity!

Blessings!

Diana

First Day of Fall

Since I last wrote on this blog, fall has officially arrived!  I have noticed a bit of color on the landscape and the corn fields are beginning to disappear. The temperatures have also cooled down, putting me in the mood to bake breads. I got a new bread cookbook and have tried a couple of new ones with great success, but thought you might enjoy the recipe for these delicious rolls.  This recipe makes 24 rolls and I don't think I have ever had any left over, no matter how few of us there are for dinner! So, here goes...

Mimi's Favorite Rolls

1.  Mix together in a large bowl: 3 1/2 cups of flour, 1 T. yeast, 1 t. salt, 1/4 c. sugar
2. In a small saucepan, heat until bubbly around the edges, 1 1/4 cups of milk. Take off of the heat and add 1/4 cup of butter. Cool this down until it is lukewarm.
3. Add milk mixture and 1 egg to the flour and mix it well. This will be a sticky dough. Cover and let it rise for an hour or until it is doubled in size.
4. Turn the dough onto a well-floured board and divide in half. Working with one half at a time, roll into a circle about 12" in diameter. You will need to flour the dough well, in order to be able to roll it out!. Spread the dough with as much soft butter as it takes to cover the dough. 

Cut your circle into 12 wedges. Starting from the wide end, roll them up into crescent shapes and put to rise on a greased baking sheet. I cover them loosely with plastic wrap and let them rise until double. Preheat the oven to 350 and bake them for about 12 minutes or until nicely browned. Serve with butter.

Any old dinner becomes a special occasion with these delicious rolls!

From Mrs. Dunwoody

1. Chill candles for several hours before lighting, it will cause fewer drips.

To remove the smell of smoke from a room, fill a glass jar with vinegar and place a large oil lamp wick inside the jar. It will absorb the lingering odors.

Our family members will carry the atmosphere we create in our homes for the rest of their lives.

Thanks for visiting!

Diana

Apple Time is here!

It is September 3, and fall is not officially here, but the apples definitely are! This is my very favorite time of year and one of my very favorite things to do in the fall, is go pick apples at our local orchard. The very first time we picked apples, I had 2 little tiny girls, and I wanted to learn to make great pies. Allen and I with the girls in tow, set off for Bells Apple Orchard where we picked a gorgeous bushel of apples. That week I made apple butter, applesauce and an apple pie every single evening until I got it down! My husband didn't complain...the pies were delicious!  I have picked apples with all ten of my children and now they are picking them with theirs.

One of my favorite recipes, a very easy one, is an apple dip recipe given to me by my neighbor, Connie, about 25 or so years ago. It has become a family favorite and is delicious with those fresh apples.

Connie's Apple Dip

• Melt  1/2 cup butter in a small saucepan
• Add 1/2 cup of brown  sugar and stir until it is smooth
• Stir in 1/2 cup of sour cream and 1 tsp. vanilla and stir it with a whisk until it is well combined.
• If you have time, refrigerate for an hour or so so that it firms up a bit

Slice up those apples and enjoy!!

Have a great day!

Diana

For Love of White Dishes

There is something about white dishes that I love. In 1981, I traded in my wedding stoneware for  my first set of white dishes. I  purchased a set of Nikko white classic and have been in love with white ever since! I  now have several sets of white dishes that we mix and match for family gatherings. White is perfect for every occasion - just change out linens and table decorations and there you have it! No need to have a cabinet full of dishes with Christmas trees and turkeys on them.

I never can pass up white dishes at a garage sale. I especially like to collect milk glass pieces. I have quite a collection, and like to use them wherever I can. I am not sure if any of them are valuable, but I enjoy them.

I know this is hard to believe, but I do not like to use a dishwasher! I do like to take a stack of dirty dishes, wash them and line all of those clean white plates up in the dish drainer to dry.What a transformation!

What is it about white dishes? Maybe it is the truth planted in my heart from Isaiah 1:18.

"Come now, and let us reason together," says the Lord, "Though your sins are as scarlet, they will be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they will be like wool."  Maybe I see myself in those dirty plates washed clean. "What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus."

Thanks for reading!

Diana

Garage Sale Treasures

We do love garage sales, and one of our favorite is the annual sale at our local Methodist Church! It is particularly rich because many of the donars are older folks and they have much cooler stuff. This year I spent $7.25 and this is what I brought home. 

In the above photo we have a Fiesta ware butter dish, a white jewelry box, a soft white cotton summer blanket,a white pitcher, a footed milk glass planter, a small milk glass goblet, a crochet hook, and two pottery planters.

In this picture which is somewhat dark, there is a brand new 1983 toaster oven...still sealed in it's original box and a coffee press, also new.  We love the toaster oven and are having so much fun with it. The coffee press makes a great single cup of coffee.

I mentioned last time that my little granddaughter had broken her arm. Here she is sporting her new cast and swimming with her Aunt Sophie in the pool! You can't hold little ones down for long!

Here are some sage words from Mrs. Dunwoody:

One of my favorites:

"Always go to other people's funerals; otherwise they won't come to yours."

Work on your inner beauty.

It counts for all eternity,

but your looks and youth will

soon wilt like a daylily.

Blessings to you!

Diana

One More Zucchini Recipe!

It is just after midnight, and a few minutes ago I wished my son, Luke, a very happy birthday! I can hardly believe that it has been 20 years ago that I first held that sweet little red- haired baby boy in my arms. We were so thrilled to have another son...that made the count four girls and three boys. The boys were catching up!! It is also my daughter-in-law Sara's birthday as well. Happy Birthday to you both!!!

Our little granddaughter broke her arm yesterday while hopping from swing to swing in the backyard! She is now the proud owner of a bright purple (thankfully water-proof) cast.  There is never a dull moment around here!

Here is one of my all-time favorite zucchini recipes.  My mom has fixed this dish for years and I have made it all of my years as chief cook around here!

Zucchini Bake

3 cups of zucchini sliced 1/2 inch thick

1 sweet Spanish onion, sliced

Melt 1/4 cup of butter in a skillet and cook the onion and squash until tender. Place them in a 1 1/2 quart buttered baking dish.  Sprinkle with 1/2 cup coarse bread crumbs. I tear bread into little pieces as it is easier than getting out the food processor!

Mix together:

3 eggs

1/2 cup of milk

1/2 tsp dry mustard

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1 8-oz can of tomato sauce

1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese

Pour this mixture over the contents of baking dish and then sprinkle with 1/2 cup parmesan  cheese.

Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes or until it is set and brown. This serves six. We use a 7 x 11 inch dish. This is a very flavorful dish you are sure to enjoy! Unfortunately, we did not get a picture of this one so you will have to take my word for the fact that it is a good looking dish!

We have had a couple of weeks of unseasonably hot weather, even for Indiana! I thought it would be a good time to get started on some projects for our fall craft open house. Here are some of the things I made:

 A new notebook design and knitted child's cap

These are from a handbag pattern that I have been playing around with! 

 I love these little tissue holders! They are such fun to make!

Have a happy day!

Diana

Sophie's Favorite Zucchini Recipe

Do you love to go the fair and get the fried veggies? Then you, like Miss Sophia, will love this  recipe! 

I slice my zucchini about 1/4 inch  thick for this dish.  I make a fritter batter as follows:

1 cup of flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp garlic salt

1 egg

1 cup milk

Beat all of the above in a mixing bowl with a wire whisk until it is smooth. Then I simply stir in the sliced zucchini. I heat about a quarter inch of oil in a skillet, and then when it is hot I lift the slices out of the batter with a fork and add them to the skillet. Fry them until they are nice and brown, and then turn them over and finish cooking the other side. I remove them to a paper towel lined plate and continue until they are all cooked.

When we go to the Indiana State Fair, they serve the fried veggies with a spicy sauce  that we have tried to copy. We play around with it, but basically I mix:

Mayonaise

mustard

honey

Red Hot sauce

Zataran's seasoning mix

You have to play with the ingredients because I have never written it down and always have to guess, but it is a very tasty dipping sauce.

Do you remember last winter when I told you about the geraniums that I had started? They were blooming in my kitchen window all through the snowy months. I planted them in my planter outside in late spring and they looked just awful!  The leaves turned a very sickly shade of gold and I thought for sure they were going to die.  But, they didn't! Here they are today!

Aren't they lovely?  They have really enjoyed the heat we have had. Gardening always seems to have such good spiritual application, doesn't it? When I think about the trials in my life, when the Lord "turns the heat up", do I become more lovely? Or do I resist the Master Gardener's work in my life and instead shrivel up and become ugly? My choice.

With love,

Diana

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Susanna's Favorite Zucchini Bread

Susanna's favorite way to have zucchini is in this delicious bread. The recipe actually came from my oldest daughter, Elisabeth, who is a wonderful baker and gives many baked goods as gifts to the  many people in her life.  The secret ingredient in this moist bread is cream cheese!

Beat the following ingredients until smooth:

3 eggs

2 cups of sugar

1 cup of oil

1 t. vanilla

Add 8 oz cream cheese

stir together:

2 cups of flour

1 t. baking soda

1 t. baking powder

1 t. cinnamon

1 t. salt 

1/2 t. nutmeg

add the flour mixture to the egg mixture and mix.

Fold in 2 cups of shredded zucchini and 2 cups of chopped nuts. Spread into 2 greased and floured standard sized bread pans and bake at 350 degrees for 60 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool in pan for 10 minutes and invert onto cooling rack.

Susanna's variation:

Add 1/3 cup of cocoa instead of spices and add chocolate chips in place of nuts. I use about 1/2 cup of mini chips. She prefers everything with chocolate!!!

Enjoy!

Diana