Sunday Dinner

When I was a young girl I was always treated to a home cooked Sunday dinner at about 1:00 in the afternoon.  My mother would arise early in the morning and peel a large pot of potatoes and cover them with water.  Put a lid on top and let them sit ready to cook when we got home from church.  The chicken would be ready to fry on top the stove and an apple pie would have been made on Saturday.  Sometimes we would have peas with the mashed potatoes.  I really liked the chicken gravy she would make for the mashed potatoes and sometimes we would put the peas on top  We always had home made dill pickles on the side. 

I grew up in a family of seven and in today's world we would have been considered in the "lower middle class' but I felt very fortunate to always have a new homespun dress to wear if there was a special occasion.

After having a large Sunday dinner we wouldn't be very hungry in the evening, so we would have another treat--a bowl of steamed white rice with milk and sugar. 

Television was not yet available so in the evening we would have an Aunt & Uncle over and play cards until the wee hours (10:00 p.m.) That was late for me. 

I feel very fortunate to have such rich memories of my childhood.

Fresh Eggs for Sale

Eggs

Eggs, in every shape, color and variety,

are a favorite for anytime of the year. 








I find it a great pleasure to hear my hens let me know whenever they lay an egg.  They are so proud, only an hour later, it is gone, because I go out and whisk it away.  They can't quite figure out what happened.  That's when I assure them they have been good girls and everything is okay. 

We hear a lot about eggs these days and how many we can safely eat.  According to "BACKYARD POULTRY MAGAZINE"www.backyardpoultrymag.com  eggs are among the highest-quality protein found in food, second only to mother's milk.  Egg protein is complete, meaning it contains all of the essential amino acids. One large egg contains approximately the same amount of protein as an ounce of lean meat, poultry, fish, or legumes.  Eggs laid by hens that have access to pasture or other greens, contain less cholesterol and saturated fat, more vitamin A, D, and E and more beta carotene, folic acid, and omega 3 polyunsaturated fatty acids than factory farm produced eggs laid by caged hens. 

So what are you waiting for?
www.backyardpoultrymag.com

Ready for a Warm Fire

Yesterday I was observing through my window in the kitchen all of the squirrels that were very busy gathering and storing up their "stash" for the winter.  It made me realize that we are very much the same with our vegetable garden. As the produce comes to be, it seems to come all at once, and we are using, freezing, or canning everything we possibly can.  We even go up to the higher altitudes to pick fresh huckleberries to store or make jelly. 

These are really nice essentials to have in the pantry in the midst of a winter storm or if you happen to have house guests who are stuck because of inclement weather.  The best part about it is it makes you feel warm and cozy that you have the menu all ready for times such as this. 

We have been gathering firewood and splitting piles of wood all summer, kind of like the squirrels.  It must be a natural instinct of survival skills. 

An Artful Masterpiece

I was looking out my kitchen window this morning at an artful masterpiece.  The sun was creeping over the top of the huge oak tree that would provide three tree houses.  Every morning the sun changes about every fifteen minutes.  There was a family of coyotes down in the front pasture howling as they were trying to catch their prey.  This time of the year there are squirrels everywhere one looks, and they are very busy storing up for when the weather changes.  (Maybe we should learn something here about planning ahead).

I don't know about you but as I get on with my day (this time of year) I have to listen to opera music, such as "Carmen" to get me in the mood for getting all of my inside work done.  All the sooner I can get out to my garden to see what has changed overnight. 

I am sure you have a window that you can look out and see your own masterpiece, not necessarily a kitchen window. 

Have a wonderful day no matter where you are!

Cow Country

I was having my morning coffee and enjoying the crisp feel from looking outside to my garden and noticed the gate to our driveway had been closed and locked.  If you live in "cow country",  that means cows will be driven up the highway and the ranchers come along to every gate to make sure the cows don't take a detour up a neighbors driveway.  It is quite fun to watch the dogs help control the mass and mooing cows.This happens in the spring and the fall.  The cows are driven down the mountain in the fall, and late spring they are taken back up to greener pastures.

If you have never experienced this it is quite exhilarating.  It makes me glad to live in the midst of this fresh world beyond the city. 

Fall is coming----this I know.

Pumpkin Soup from the Garden

For man, autumn is a time of harvest,

of gathering together.

For nature, it is a time of sowing, of scattering

abroad.

_______Edwin Way Teale  

Today, I just couldn't resist a recipe that savors the very best that autumn has to offer from the garden.

For all of your homegrown pumpkins and onions here is a winner to say the least. 

PUMPKIN SOUP RECIPE

1 lb. of cooked pumpkin, 1 tablespoon unsalted butter room temp., 2 slices bacon finely chopped, 1 large

yellow onion chopped, 6 cups chicken stock.  After cooking add 1/4 cup heavy cream, pinch of nutmeg,
and 1/4 cup fresh orange juice.  Reheat if necessary.

TOASTED WALNUT BUTTER

3 tablespoons walnuts, 2 tsp. walnut oil, large pinch of sugar, salt and pepper, 2 tbsp. unsalted butter.

In a soup pot over medium heat, melt the butter. Add bacon and onion and saute until the onion is soft.

Raise the heat to high, add the pumpkin and stock and bring to a gentle boil.  Reduce heat and simmer

uncovered about 30 min.  Meanwhile, put walnuts and oil and sugar on baking sheet.  Toast until golden.

Remove pumpkin from heat and cool.  Puree in blender until smooth.  Add cream, nutmeg, and juice to

pumpkin soup.  Heat again. Garnish with the toasted walnut butter and flat leaf parsley. 

Voila!

A very autumn day

Hi everyone,

It was a very autumn day that brings out the desire to be outside and do clean up work in the

garden.  The peppers are going crazy this time of year while the zucchini is calling it a end of

the summer for produce.  Tomatoes are bursting with color, ready to be picked. 

If you haven't had the experience of growing a vegetable garden, I really encourage you to

try it!  There is nothing so rewarding as to walk outside and see your rewards. 

Pumpkins are so beautiful but they do take a lot of space.  I am drying the seeds from

the five sunflowers that we had and I am amazed at the amount of seeds that are in one sunflower.

It is so fun to experiment and to be a little successful at new things. 

So be adventurous and step out to a whole new world of growing your own vegetables.

It's fun!

Slow Cook Garden Soup

Slow Cook Garden Soup


1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 C Chopped Green bell pepper
1 C chopped onion
1/2 C sliced celery


Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat until hot. Add pepper, onion and celery. Cook and stir until onions are translucent. ( Your kitchen will smell so good) Transfer to slow cooker.

                                                        1 can (141/2 ounces) Tomatoes diced with basil, garlic,
                                                            and oregano             
                                                        1 can (151/2 ounces) Navy beans drained and rinsed
                                                        1 med. Zucchini, chopped
                                                        1 C frozen cut green beans, thawed
                                                        2 can chicken broth ( 14ounces each)
                                                        1/4 tsp. Garlic powder

Add Tomatoes with juice, navy beans, zucchini, green beans, broth and garlic powder.  Cover, cook on low 7 hours or on high for 31/2 hours.

                                                        1 pkg. refrigerated  fully cooked sausage or cheese filled tortellini
                                                        3 Tbsp chopped fresh basil
                                                        Grated Parmesan or Asiago cheese

Turn slow cooker to high, add tortellini or Sausage and cook 20-25 min. until pasta is tender. Stir in basil. Garnish with cheese.

For everything there is a season,
a time for every activity under heaven.
A time to be born and a time to die.

A time to plant and a time to harvest.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-2

Enjoy the harvest time.
    

Best Time of Year

This is the best time of the year.  Fall is in the air, the garden is changing colors, and your kitchen is reaping the bounty of the harvest. Corn in the freezer, grated zucchini and huckleberries fill the empty crevices. The pantry is stocked with canned pears, jams, and pickles. Basil is dried on the stems and put into containers on the spice shelf. Mint is dried the same way and labeled on the jar for winter tea time or for zest in meat dishes.   

Basil:  Sweet warm flavor with an aromatic scent. Use whole or ground. Good with lamb, fish, roasts, stews, vegetables, dressings, and omelets.