Thoughts and Quotes: Do something today that will encourage you to blossom.
Unknown
Nothing exciting to report. I'm trying to finish as much of my fall housecleaning as possible before I have company. I won't have the deep cleaning finished, but I'll have a start. In the meantime, it looks like this.
I'm not looking forward to December. I've made a promise to myself that I'll remove the film from all of the seven back windows - five in the family room and two in my bedroom - before Christmas. The prior owner put it on the windows, so it's had lots of time to bake on, making the removal a real bear. I have to do it though, because it's starting to get streaks and bubbles which are spoiling my view. Take a look. And it's like looking through a fog.
The janitor is getting brave; coming during daylight and right into the screened patio. Here he is with Louie. He was Lucifer before I caught him and had him neutered. He's a lot nicer to the other kitties now.
Things I enjoy: Niece Terri and I joined The Friends of Gladys Taber and we attended our first meeting last week. Gladys was born in 1899 and died in 1980. She wrote articles for Ladies Home Journal and Family Circle. If you're old enough, you might remember the ones from FC titled Butternut Wisdom. When she and best friend Jill were married and living in New York, the couples bought an old farmhouse in Cape Cod which they named Still Meadow. When Gladys and Jill became widows, they moved there full time and later built a cottage called Still Cove. Gladys wrote lots of books about the daily life there; gardening, friends, raising and showing Cocker Spaniels, kitty Amber, food, the weather, the visitors, things which can go wrong if you're living in a 100+ year old house, etc. She talked about her unicorn who came to visit their stream and crop the violets and lilacs. Absolutely delightful reading.
The person who started the Missouri chapter had a unicorn which she brought to each meeting. He's been passed to each new president, and it looks like this trip loosened his horn. I can see that it's been glued several times, but he's still beautiful.
The theme this time was herbs and flowers. We each talked about our favorite herbs and flowers and how we use them. Paulette brought each of us a cute gift bag with a sweet little real pumpkin and a jar of damson plum jelly.
I took baskets filled with recipes for chili, a sample of the chili mix, a can of tomatoes and a can of beans (if they have hamburger in the freezer and catsup in the fridge, they're all set). I chose this because the recipe calls for oregano, which I usually associate with Italian cooking. I also took recipes for seasoned rice mix which has basil, parsley, and dill. I included a jar of rice with seasonings (just add water and cook). Here are the recipes.
CHILI
1 lb. ground beef
1 recipe chili
seasoning (see below)
1 15 oz. can pinto
beans (don’t drain)
1 15 oz. can diced
tomatoes (don’t drain)
1/4 cup catsup
Chili Seasoning
1 Tbs chili powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp crushed oregano
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
Cayenne pepper to taste
(optional)
Brown ground beef and
pour off excess fat (I like a little left in).
Stir in balance of
ingredients.
Bring to a boil, reduce
heat, and simmer about ten minutes until some of the excess liquid is absorbed.
When I make the chili mix, I set up four bowls and make four recipes of seasoning. I use one and put the other three in plastic bags and store them in the freezer.
SEASONED
RICE MIX
Seasoning Mix:
3/4 cup chicken bouillon granules
1/2 cup dried parsley
1 Tbs dried basil
1 Tbs dill weed
3 Tbs dried onion flakes
1 tsp seasoning salt
2 tsps garlic powder
1 tsp lemon pepper seasoning
Mix thoroughly and store in an airtight container.
To Prepare:
1 cup rice
2 cups water
3 Tbs. seasoning mix
Bring water to a boil.
Add rice and seasoning mix.
Reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook for 18-20 minutes.
This is the original recipe. It's a little on the salty side. You could probably make it with a 1/2 cup of bouillon granules and omit the seasoning salt. Or just use 2 Tbs seasoning mix when you cook the rice.
Tasting: Lacey and I went to Victoria's. She's the president of the Christian County Republicans Women Group, and her name is Lacey Hart - how fun is that? We spent the afternoon eating and talking and hated to leave. Victoria's is such a great place to eat great food and get totally pampered by the servers.
I had the salad with poppyseed dressing and Garlic Chicken. You can see the chicken breast peeking out from under the noodles. Mixed in with the noodles are fresh spinach and fresh tomatoes.
I could drink the salad dressing, it's so yummy. And don't you love the way it's served in upside down candleholders? The blingy cylinder with a purple flower is my napin ring.
Lacey had ranch dressing and Parmesan Chicken. Her chicken breast was also buried under the noodles.
Cooking friends take note of the bits of lettuce around the plate which add dimension and color to the plate. A simple trick, but a big difference.
You always get a fresh-baked croissant, even if you're only having soup.
The pastry cart was so inviting, I couldn't decide. I had Pumpkin Cheesecake (lower middle) and a piece of Coconut Custard Pie (lower right) to go. Lacey ate part of her Napoleon (upper right) and took the balance home.
Thank you: My Lil' Bro' and Lil' Sis' went to New England to visit Niagra Falls, Acadia National Park, and the fall colors. They brought this for me, and I see pancakes and maybe a maple sundae in my future.
Tasting: Yes, more food. I had a red velvet cake mix I needed to use, so I was going to use it to make Cherry Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Pudding Frosting made with some maraschino cherry juice in place of part of the milk. Then I lost my cake mix. I looked everywhere. About two weeks later, I found it in the garage by my Christmas cardmaking box. I guess I went to add something to the box with the cake mix in my hand. I put it down to raise the lid, and there it stayed.
By the time I found it, I couldn't remember what I planned to make. Kansas Linda dredged up my email and told me, but by then I'd used the chocolate pudding mix for something else. I told her the cake mix had expired, and she told me to use it anyway. I did. It was still okay. I had a can of Betty Crocker cherry frosting which I used and finally got rid of that stupid cake mix.
CHERRY
CHOCOLATE CAKE
3 eggs, beaten
1 box devil’s food cake
mix
1 can cherry pie
filling
1 tsp almond extract
Heat oven to 350°.
Grease and flour a 9 x
13 baking pan, or two 8” or 9” round cake pans.
Mix all ingredients
well, using electric mixer.
Pour into prepared pan
and bake 25-30 minutes.
When cool, frost with
Pudding Frosting using chocolate pudding and a little maraschino cherry juice,
or cover with Chocolate Ganache.
Try yellow cake mix
with blueberry pie filling – spice cake mix with apple pie or peach pie
filling. Omit or change flavoring extract. Change frosting.
I hope your October Bucket List has more checkmarks than mine.
OCTOBER
BUCKET LIST
Buy a pumpkin for your porch
____ Take a drive to see the colored leaves
Plant some bulbs for spring flowers
Buy a new autumn scented candle
____ Attend a fall festival
Make a new hot beverage recipe – cider, spice, or cranberry
____ Go for a walk in the crisp, cool air
Make pumpkin muffins or bread
Make chili and cornbread
____ Watch an autumn Hallmark movie
____ Buy a new cozy sweater
Treat yourself with a new tea
Clean out the garage
Buy some Halloween candy - for yourself.
Put your autumn wreath on your door.
Since last time, I made a hot drink. It's not bad, but too much work. I had to grind fresh cranberries with fresh ginger and some apple cider. Then I sliced an orange and studded the rind with some whole cloves. Then I had to simmer cider, the cranberry mash, and the orange slices for four hours in the crockpot. I was supposed to add cinnamon sticks, but I didn't have any, so I tossed in three hard cinnamon candies. Then I had to strain it.
The next time I want a hot drink, I'll mix some apple juice, orange juice, cranberry juice cocktail; pour a cup and add a cinnamon hard candy, and heat it in the microwave.
I also made chili and cornbread (muffins), but I froze it so I can make chili-cheese omelets with corn muffins for breakfast.
I didn't exactly clean out the garage, but I certainly made it look better, and I can actually walk around without feeling as if I'm on an obstacle course.
I will get a walk in on Saturday when I doorhang fliers for the election.
I'm driving to the market tomorrow. Perhaps I'll see some colored leaves.
I've missed all the fall festivals and Hallmark is already showing Christmas movies - Really?!
I'll carry over my "buy a new cozy sweater," as I'm on the lookout for a new black cardigan. One of my hobbies is losing black sweaters. I leave them in dark booths in restaurants.
Perhaps I can do better in November.
NOVEMBER BUCKET LIST
Start your Christmas shopping
Make a pumpkin pie
Get out your winter clothes
When you wake up, thank God for a new day and all your
blessings
Put the electric blanket on the bed
Invite friends for a fall lunch
Buy a turkey for now or later
Make real cranberry sauce – not the stuff in the can
Try a new soup recipe
Tuck up with a cozy throw, a good book, and a cup of
hot chocolate
Invite friends over for games
Buy some fall flowers
Go out for lunch at a restaurant you’ve never tried
Eat apple slices dipped in caramel
Have grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup for
lunch
Stock up on non-perishables to avoid going out in the
icy cold
Make apple crisp
Spend an afternoon at the library
Vote on the 2nd
I'll be busy with company for awhile, but then I'll have lots of photos for all you foodies.
HAPPY HALLOWEEN
STAY WARM AND DRY
BUT ALSO HYDRATED
EAT YOUR GREENS
AND APPLES
CONSIDER TAKING VITAMIN D OR GET SOME SUN
GO FOR A WALK IN THE WOODS, OR THE PARK, OR YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD
THANK YOU FOR SHARING MY LIFE
No comments:
Post a Comment