Thanksgiving

Wow, time sure flies by. Happy Thanksgiving to all. Thanksgiving meant a lot to me as a child. We would visit the poultry shop where the live chickens, ducks, and turkeys arrived in the crates and I would like to play with them...since the owners of the shop were relatives, it was a lot of fun...I saw the carcasses but never did observe the killing of any of them. The poultry was nice and fresh and so tender...something different than now days. As I matured, our Thanksgiving was at my parents and then my husband's family. We would split it between them. And as my mom aged and my husband died, my brother and his wife would host the Thanksgiving dinner. Mom and I really enjoyed going there for the dinners and seeing the boys grow up. It was a special time as we did not see my brother or his family much throughout the year. Now that mom is gone and dad, things are different. No family get togethers...no visits...no laughs or stories to remember. I am so thankful to my cousin and his wife. They have been there every step for me. They helped pack up mom's apartment and helped when my dog died and have helped me out more than I can ever repay. Tomorrow I will thank God for them. They have invited me to go out with them and I will thoroughly enjoy the company. Thanksgiving was always a fun time...Gram made stuffing that was soooooo good. Mom cooked the turkey, made bread, mashed the potatoes, baked the yams, baked pies, I made jello salad, and we had cranberry sauce in the shape of turkeys, had corn....and invited older relatives or relatives without spouses for a family gathering. It was a day of laughter and remembering. I will remember the Thanksgivings of past days with fondness. And I wish all of my followers many blessings and good wishes this Thanksgiving....

MMMMMbread pudding

I remember the cool fall nights....the smell of leaves burning...just the crispness in the air. I can remember coming home from school to the wonderful scents wafting through the door when you opened it....Grandma made bread pudding...yum-o. So, here is her recipe...it is soooooo Goood.....warm with a splash of milk, or scoop of vanilla ice cream....or cold in a nice slice....just terrific...
Bread Pudding
2 cups bread cubes 1/2 cup sugar 2 cups milk 1/4 tsp. salt
2 eggs beaten 1 tsp. vanilla 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
Soak the bread in milk for 5 mins. Stir in eggs, sugar, salt and vanilla. Pour into buttered casserole dish. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Place casserole into shallow pan of hot water. Bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 min. or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Now enjoy!
(You can add white raisins to this as well just soak them in warm water to plump them and add)
Hope you will try some of the recipes and enjoy them as much as I do.

A cool day

Good morning! Today is a crisp, cool one here i n Ohio. I can remember coming home from school to the delicious smells of grandma's baking. In going through mom's boxes of recipes, I found a favorite of grandma and mom....it is for OATMEAL BREAD it was so good right out of the oven for an after school snack....I can smell it now.....
OATMEAL BREAD
2 1/2 Cups lukewarm water, milk or potato water (milk should be scalded and cooled)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 Tbsp. salt
2 Tbsp. soft shortening
1 cake compressed yeast
2 cups quick cooking rolled oats
5 1/2 to 6 cups flour
Mix together the liquid, sugar, salt and shortening. Crumble the yeast into the mixture and stir unitl the yeast is dissolved. Add the rolled oats and mix in the flour--half at a time, using what is necessary to make dough easy to handle. Turn dough out onto lightly floured board, cover and let stand 10 mins.; then knead until smooth. Place in a greased bowl and let rise until double in bulk (1 1/2 to 2 hrs.). Punch down dough. Divide in half. Shape into 2 loaves. Put in lightly greased pans. Cover with damp cloth and let rise about 1 hr. Bake 30-40 mins. in 400 degree oven. Cool and enjoy.
Hope you will try this....it is a good bread for the cool days of autumn. Till next time.............keep warm and toasty!

New things are showing up

Hi!

Well, I have been bad about not writing, but I have been busy. I am making cards and been online playing Yoville and Farmville. I am going to post a picture of my mother's parents...Dominic and Sophia...It has to be from the 1920's I believe...not sure maybe earlier.

Gram liked potato pancakes and so do I...so the recipe is....Potato Pancakes....

5 Tbsp. flour l small, peeled grated onion l unbeaten egg

l l/2 lbs. pared, raw potatoes (3 Large) 1 tsp. salt l/8 tsp. black pepper

Measure the flour in a bowl; grate the potatoes, stir in the rest of the ingredients. Grease a heavy skillet. Place over medium heat. Drop potato mixture by heaping Tbsp. into hot skillet. Fry until crisp and golden brown on the underside. Brown on other side. Serve as a vegetable.. Makes about 16 pancakes.

You can eat with a dollup of sour cream or plain yogurt or just plain. Hope you enjoy them! I do.

Til later.......

Oh, my school begins!

It sure is hard to believe summer is almost over. School is starting. Football season is here! Time to start the cooler weather.
My world was turned upside down...I lost my one big dog. He was a friend, confidante and constant companion. He hung on and on, but he did die a natural death at home with me by his side.
Now it is time to turn over a new leaf....my little guy and I are off for places known and unknown. We are taking a trip to Frankenmuth, MI next month. Then who knows where to next.
I am stamping now and ordered a Cuttlebug..I anxiously await its arrival.
Here is a quick dinner......for those days you want to hurry up ......
Garlic lemon shrimp
1 lb. uncooked large shrimp, peeled & deveined 2 Tbsp. olive oil
3 sliced cloves garlic 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. ground cumin 1/4 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. minced fresh parsley Hot cooked pasta or rice
In a large skillet, saute shrimp in oil for 3 mins. Add garlic, lemon juice, cumin & salt; cook & stir until shrimp turn pink. Stir in parsley. Serve with pasta or rice.
Approx. cook time is 20 mins. Serves 4.

Quick and easy and delicious. Enjoy. I will post some of my cards next time and tell you of my travels. Till then.....have fun!!!

MMMM it's chicken

Hi all. It sure is hot here in OH. We finally have the summer here and most of you are looking for the fall. Hot weather and I do not go well together, but I just try and find a cool spot and stay there. And cooking.....you hate to turn on the oven. Here's a low carb meal that you cook on the stovetop. Hope you like it.....Cilantro-Lime Chicken
1 lb. boneless chicken breats 2 sm. onions
1 large lime 2 Tbs. canola oil
1 or 2 sm green or red jalapeno peppers, seeded and sliced* 1 sm. piece fresh ginger (1" long) peeled and thinly sliced 2 Tbs. fresh cilantro, chopped
2 Tbs. reduced sodium soy sauce 1-2 tsp. sugar
Hot cooked rice or flour tortillas (optional)
*Jalapeno peppers can sting and irritate the skin, so wear rub ber gloves when handling peppers and do not touch your eyes.*
Cut chicken breast half into 8 pieces. Cut each onion into 8 wedges. Remove 3 strips of peel from lime with vegetable peeler. Cut lime peel into very fine shreds. Juice lime, measure 2 Tbs. juice. Set aside. Heat wok or large skillet over medium-high heat 1 min. or until hot. Drizzle oil into wok and heat 30 seconds. Add chicken, jalapeno and ginger; stir-fry about 3 mins. until chicken is no longer pink in center. Reduce heat to medium. Add onions; stir fry 5 min. Add lime peel, juice and chopped cilantro; stir-fry 1 min. Add soy sauce and sugar to taste; stir-fry until well mixed and heated through. Transfer to serving dish. Serve with rice or tortilla; if desired. Makes 4 servings. (216 calories; 8 g total fat; 7 g carbs.; 66 mg chol.; 1 g fiber; 1 g sat. fat; 28 g protein; 313 mg sodium; 35% cal. from fat--exchanges--3 lean meat; 1 vegetable)
There you go. I don't put in jalapeno--i don't like the heat. I add green or red pepper strips for color. Hope you enjoy this for a hot summer dinner or lunch.
Take care until I write again..........

Summer is gone?

Wow, I cannot believe it is already August. Where has the summer gone to? We did have cool weather here in Ohio, but now we have the hot muggy weather of August. Tomatoes are ripening, zucchini, cukes, corn, and I have pears are all starting to ripen up. So, today I am giving you a recipe for Zucchini Bread. It is really tasty. Hope you enjoy it. I promise not to be off for too long like this time. I just have had a bad month. So here is the recipe:
3 c. flour 2 tsp. baking soda 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking powderr 1 tsp. cinnamon 3 eggs
2 c. sugar 1 c. vegetable oil 2 tsp. vanilla 2 c. grated zucchini 1 can crushed pineapple (3 oz. drained.) 1 c. chopped nuts
Preheat oven to 350. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon together. Set aside. Beat eggs til light, add sugar, oil and vanilla. Beat til creamy. Add zucchini and pineapple. Add dry ingredients and mix. Add nuts. Spoon batter into two greased, floured loaf pans. Bake for 45-50 mins. at 350. Cool 15 mins. before removing from pan. Finish cooling and enjoy.
Happy August 11th!