Persimmon Cookie Recipe

I promised I would share with the world my "revered Persimmon cookie" recipe passed down through the ages.  It's nothing difficult or fancy.  Just plain old goodness! 

3/4 Cup of vegetable oil ( or 1 cup shortening).   I prefer oil.

1 Cup sugar

1 fresh egg

Mix the three of these together.

Add 1 Cup of persimmon pulp (almost mushy).  Then add 2 Cups of flour, 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda,

1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon cloves, and 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg.  Stir together with egg mixture.  Add 1 Cup raisins.  Drop by spoonfuls on greased cookie sheet.  Bake at 350 in oven for 10 minutes. 

This will give your house a wonderful holiday aroma, and you will have delicious cookies to boot! 

Men seem to really love these cookies.   (Just my experience).  

A Mountain Retreat in the Forest

 

 

This is our mountain retreat in the forest.   It is a lot of work to get it ready for winter.  We have to make sure all the water supply is drained and no water left in the pipes.  The same goes for the outside valves.  All the food has to be taken out of the refrigerator because the main electricity supply is turned off until we return.  We always have a dry supply of firewood in a shelter close to the backdoor, just in case we are there and get snowed in.  We keep fast and easy canned soups and things of that nature, again, for the same reasons. 

It is very cozy inside the cabin with a fire going and plenty of books to read.  We heat the water on the stove for clean up purposes.  When it is very stormy and the snow is deep, we cannot even get to the cabin.  The gravel road is not  visable. 

So, we have to wait until the snow pack melts before we venture in again.  I love the quietness of being there when there is snow.   It is really a summer cabin and we miss it when we have to “close up” for the winter. 

Christmas is Coming

 

Today  I got my pinecone garland up with a string of lights on top and it looks rather home made, but  I like the look of something that isn’t store bought.   In the country one can get away very easily with nice projects.

I also got the inside of my house decorated, (out with the fall colors and in with the Christmas hues). I also put our Christmas tree up and added one outside just in front of our picture window.  Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow! 

I baked more persimmon cookies today and I love the aroma of cloves and cinnamon.  When persimmons get ripe, one must use them in baking or just eating.  Some people like to let them get mushy ripe, then freeze them.  They eat them like frozen sherbet with a spoon.  I prefer my cookie recipe .   Tomorrow I will give you  my Persimmon Cookie Recipe.  On a cold wintery day it smells very good to come in from the cold and have the cookies baking.

So go get your house decorated and get ready to bake! 

Orange Glazed Cranberry Pumpkin Bread

 

This is a wonderful recipe for Orange Glazed Cranberry Pumpkin Bread!   It  makes two loaves.  If you are baking for Holiday gifts it really is one to get started on and put in your freezer now, so you will be ahead of the game.  Glaze it when you take it out of the freezer.

3 1/2 cups all purpose flour ,  1  2/3 cups sugar, 2 teaspoons baking soda and pumpkin pie spice,  3/4 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon baking POWDER,  1 can of whole berry cranberry sauce, 1 can 16oz. pumpkin, 3/4 cup chopped pecans,  2/3 cup vegetable oil,  and 4 fresh eggs. 

In a large bowl mix together flour, sugar, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, salt, and baking powder.   In a second bowl stir together remaining ingredients until well mixed.  Add pumpkin mixture to flour mixture and stir until all ingredients are well moistened.  Pour batter into two  9x5 greased loaf pans, and bake at 350 for 65 minutes or until  bread tests done with a wooden toothpick.  Completely cool bread and drizzle glaze over top and sides. 

Glaze:  In small bowl mix 1 cup of powdered sugar,  1/4 cup of orange juice concentrate, and 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice until smooth.  Drizzle over cooled bread. 

Thanksgiving Dinner

Here we are!  It's almost time for that endulging day of Thanksgiving. 

Some like it hot and some like it cold.  Some like it fancy and some like it simple.  Whatever your taste is, we need to go back to our roots and remember why we have Thanksgiving.  Our forefathers were so very thankful to be alive and to finally set foot here, they hunted some dinner, and put all ot their resources together to make a substantial  meal, and before they endulged, they bowed their heads and gave thanks to God for leading them and providing food for them. 

The necessities of life.  We sometimes get mixed up in our thoughts about our desires and our needs.  It is easy to do when we are so busy driving here and there,  going shopping to get the "appropriate attire" for some event we are obliged to attend, and just being overextended. 

Sometimes, we need to go to the country to slow down, and look beyond ourselves.  Reflect on how things used to be and just bask in the thoughts that somehow, throughout the years people and families flourished.

I am so very thankful that I live in the country after so many years of working in the city.  It is nourishing to the soul.

Everyday is Christmas,  It is what you make it to be.  Be Thankful.

The First Snow

 

We woke up to our first snow of the season and luckily it was on a weekend.  All was softly quiet and very white.   After checking outside to see if our cabbage and peas were still intact,  we had to go see how our flock of chickens were handling the situation.  They did not venture out until later in the day.

Our cabbage and peas did just fine.  So after brushing off the snow, I came in the kitchen and started the coffee.  I found some maple flavored bacon to fry, and whipped up some fresh laid organic eggs to scramble.   We got our plates and took them in beside our fireplace to enjoy the scenery and home cooked breakfast, (in our pajamas).   It doesn’t  get any better than this. 

Oh yes, I had jars of home made applesauce from the busy week.   It was really quite nostalgic to be able to enjoy the moments. 

I have to say, “Everyday  is Christmas”.

Time for Cabbage Soup

I looked out in my garden yesterday only to find some big, beautiful cabbage almost ready for cutting.  They tell me "Savoy Cabbage is the mildest and sweetest one can grow. 

I can't wait to make cabbage soup.  I ran across this recipe that sounds healthy and delicious.  It has only two Weight Watchers points for the whole pot. 

1/2 head of green cabbage, sliced
3 small zucchini.diced
1 large clove garlic, crushed
1/4 teaspoon dried Basil
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
salt to taste
12 ounces of V-8 vegetable juice
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 can French Onion soup undiluted
2 cups chopped spinach or chard
1/2 cup finely sliced carrots
dash of Worcestershire sauce

Combine all ingredients; cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours, or on high for 4-5 hours.  This makes 6-8 servings.  If you don't have a crock pot I am sure this would work in a Dutch Oven on the stove top.

You Are On My Mind

Hello again everyone,

Today I am thinking of all the people who reside in the Eastern coast area and New York who have or are going through a very tragic misfortune of the "Storm".

 Having been through a very powerful earthquake which brought most of our city down, and being without water or electricity for a week, I can relate somewhat.  My prayers go out for you.  I know it is difficult to even say a prayer right now, but God will sustain you and give you peace if you reach out to him.  God knows our every hurt and what we need to get through the next fifteen minutes.  Recognize your need , and call out to him.  He is there. 

I remember feeling cut off from the rest of the world and wondered if "the rest of the world" even knew of our tragedy. 

In your respect, we do know, and send up prayers in your behalf.  God gives all of you the strength to get through each day.  Never give up!