Home Time Tuesday: Chess pies, chickie bags

 

Mr. and Mrs. Barn Swallow are back to hatch some spring babies, and are rebuilding their nest of mud and leaves in the highest peak of our hay barn.

Happy Tuesday, all... we had rain most of the weekend, so the fence we were working on last week hasn't been touched since Friday. We'll have to wait until the ground dries out before Hubby can get his tractor in the yard without the tires tearing it up... so for now, we're holding our breath the cows stay home.

From the Kitchen:

Since I always have a surplus of eggs I'm constantly looking for new recipes that feature them as one of the main ingredients. One of Hubby's favorites is an old-fashioned Chess Pie recipe I found in a church cookbook several years ago. I make it at least once a month, sometimes more... it's not a very rich pie, and occasionally we will have a slice along with breakfast.

Chess Pie

3 eggs

1/2 cup milk

1/4 cup half and half (or use 3/4 cup milk instead of 1/2 cup)

1 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1 tbsp cornmeal

Mix all ingredients and pour into a regular (not deep-dish) pie crust; place 3 or 4 small slivers of butter on top of the pie (optional) and bake at 400 degrees F for approximately 35-40 minutes. Do not over-cook.

From my Sewing room:

I found this cute reversible bag pattern online a couple of weeks ago and have been trying to find the time to make it ever since:

It's from the allpeoplequilt website and the pattern can be found here.

I think this is the fabric combination I'm going to use for my first attempt at making it... what do you think?

Lily Mae Photo of the Day:

Lily has lost nearly all her "puppy" teeth now and is cutting some new ones, which can only mean one thing...

My little girl is growing up... *snifff*

I'm caught up on laundry for now (thank goodness) and a roast is in the dutch oven for this evening, so I'm off to start sewing....

Thanks for dropping by today!

Home Time Tuesday: The cook is OUT

The temperature yesterday was near 50 degrees for the first time since November. Heat wave! Yay! I filled the birdbath with fresh water and sure enough, it wasn't long before a few decided to splash around in it.

I didn't grab my camera soon enough to get a picture, but I saw several male bluebirds trying to take a bath all at the same time. It was such a neat thing to see. (Not to mention colorful!)

From my Kitchen:

Today is mine and Hubby's wedding anniversary and we're planning on going out to eat this evening. We talked about maybe driving to Knoxville and eating at The Olive Garden, but with us, you never know.

One thing I do know....

My kitchen is closed today!

*Sound of me jumping up and down*

From my sewing room:

Still working on a couple more apron/bonnets...

I found this fabric a few months ago and had planned to do something else with it at the time:

Instead, I had a moment of inspiration hit me a few days ago when I found these tiny little roses I had saved in my embroidery program:

Even though they're only about an inch in size, I think the detail is wonderful.

(You can click on the picture to enlarge.)

I decided to use them on the ends of the ties for embellishment to see how it would look.

I have a few more steps to go before it is finished, but it shouldn't take long so hopefully I can get it done this afternoon.

Lily Mae photo of the day:

Potty training has been going very well for Miss Lily, except for those bitterly cold days when she looks at me as if to say...

"You want me to do what out here?"

Happy Tuesday, Everybody!

Home Happenings Tuesday: Sewing patterns and Chowder

A little sparrow cleans up leftover chicken feed in the snow.

 Our snow has finally started melting after being on the ground for over a week- which is very unusual for East Tennessee, where most snows are gone by the next day. I have to admit, it's kinda nice to see the grass again... even if it is brown.

From my sewing room:

I've not been doing much sewing this past week (unfortunately) because of the weather... the temperature was below freezing for several days and it seemed like I was constantly having to go outside and thaw the water out for all the animals... I don't like to be starting and stopping a project, especially when it comes to sewing- I'm afraid I'll forget a step and mess up.

However, I did take the opportunity to start organizing some of my patterns... gosh, I didn't realize how many I had! I'm trying to get them separated into groups, since some are for clothes, some are for crafts, etc.- then I'll put them back in order that I want to make them. I have a little plastic 3-drawer cabinet I bought at Walmart that works great for pattern-keeping. I know I'll never get around to making all of them, but maybe this will help me in finding one if I need it.

From the Kitchen:

A dutch oven full of potato chowder is on the menu for today.... we like ours served in a bread bowl and topped with shredded cheese and crumbled bacon.

(I would rather make my own bread bowls, time permitting; but if not, I'll buy large rolls at the local grocery.)

Potato chowder with bacon

12 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed

2 medium onions, chopped

1/3 cup butter

1 cup all-purpose flour

8 cups milk

2 medium carrots, shredded

1 tablespoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

Crumbled bacon for garnish

Place potatoes in dutch oven and cover with water, bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and cook for 20 minutes or until tender. Drain and place potatoes into another container; meanwhile, in the dutch oven, melt butter and saute onions. stir in flour until smooth, then gradually stir in milk. Bring to a boil over medium heat, cook and stir for 2 minutes until thickened. Reduce heat, and add potatoes back into the onion mixture along with carrots, salt, and pepper. Simmer on low for 15-20 minutes. Sprinkle with crumbled bacon and serve.

(Click here for the bread bowl recipe I use- it's one of the best I've found, but I did cut the sugar content down from 1/2 cup to 1/4 cup.)

Lily Mae photo of the day:

Lily lays in the sun chewing on a stray sock that fell out of the laundry basket.....

(Only after 30 minutes of me looking for the sock everywhere... *jeez*)

Caught cha!!

Happy Tuesday, everybody!

Home Happenings Thursday: beef stew and aprons

Old Man Winter paid us another visit yesterday... 2 inches in 2 hours!

From the kitchen:

I have beef stew simmering in the dutch oven along with sweet cornbread muffins for supper tonight.

I really love "one-dish" meals... not only does it make for easy clean-up after the meal, but it's really two meals in one because we always have plenty of leftovers for another night. I found the most wonderful recipe for sweet cornbread muffins- it is so quick and easy you'll never need to buy another box of corn muffin mix again.

Basic corn muffins
1 cup self-rising cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup oil
1 cup milk

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F, grease muffin pan or line with paper liners.
Mix all ingredients together, then spoon batter into muffin cups. (Should be enough batter for 12 muffins)
Bake at 400 for 15-18 minutes. For variety, you can omit the sugar and add shredded cheese, jalapeno peppers, etc.



 

From the sewing room:

I've been working on a couple of "apron/bonnets" this week for my ETSY shop... these are from a great old vintage pattern that belonged to my Hubby's grandmother.

Here is the first one in it's "apron form":

(you can enlarge the photos by clicking on them)

Isn't this fabric the cutest ever? *squeal*

And by buttoning two buttons on the side and cinching the tie in the back...

It becomes a bonnet!
(Modeled by the very demure Ms. Head.)

This is the fabric I'm using for the other one; I just love this retro look and I think it will look very cute as an apron.

This is a shirt I embroidered for my Dad for Christmas. He loves his motorcycle and I thought he would enjoy wearing a Goldwing when it's too cold to ride one.

I forgot to take a picture of it before I gave it to him, but he wanted me to launder it for him so I snapped a quick pic this morning before I give it back to him.

Lily Mae photo of the day:

Any dream that makes your eyes roll back in your head and your tongue stick out must be a pretty doggone good one....

Farm Happenings on Monday for all you sheepie and chickie lovers!
Have a great weekend, Bloggy friends!

Friday Foodie: A Hit with Hubby

It's a rather chilly morning here in East Tennessee... frost was on the roof and the sun was very slow in coming up this morning. Today will be a busy one for me- it's errand day and after several stops, I'll be heading home with the back of my little 4Runner overflowing with feed for the animals and groceries for us.

Last year I posted a recipe for molasses cookies- Hubby enjoyed them so much he gobbled them up as fast as I could bake them. He put in a request for them again the other day, but after turning the house upside down looking for the recipe I still couldn't find it.... then it hit me- crazy girl, look on your blog!  Once I get the rest of the ingredients today I'll be making a batch (or five) for the weekend.

If you missed this post and want to go back for the recipe (it's worth it to see the glorious color photos of the mess I made) then click *here*.

Happy Friday, everybody!

Pear Butter

Pear Butter:
5 or 6 pounds of small to medium sized pears
3 cups of sugar
3 tablespoons of cinnamon
3 teaspoons of lemon juice


Core, peel, and slice pears; place in a large stockpot and add 1 cup of water. Cook over medium heat until soft. Drain off water and purée pear slices in a food processor. Combine pear purée, sugar, cinnamon, and lemon juice together in large pot and cook over medium to high heat until thickened, stirring continuously. Using normal canning preparations, (wash jars and lids, keep them in hot water until ready to fill) ladle mixture into jars, then process in a hot water bath canner for 10 minutes.
Makes approximately 4 pints, depending on the size of the pears.

Happy weekend, everybody!

In a pickle

After a taking a little unexpected blog break to get caught up on some summertime chores, I'm trying to get back into the swing of things but cucumbers have been haunting my sleep... they seem to be popping up overnight! I only have three little cucumber plants, but the sheep manure fertilizer has turned them into blooming beasts, literally. This week I'm making bread and butters, next week dill, the week after that, who knows.

I like onion in my bread and butters- what do you put in yours?

The jars and lids are in hot water and waiting to be packed.

15 minutes in a nice hot bath!

*We interrupt this pickle-packin' post to bring you 

some fuzzy-bottomed bliss....*

I love me some fuzzy "Belle" bottoms...

Clementine has such lovely poofy bloomers...

Zsa Zsa, in her little white socks, strikes a pose...

Cute little woolie butts...

Wait...

Woolie Butts?

Sorry, Daisy- but it just isn't the same....

Happy Tuesday, everybody- I'm off to catch up with all my blog friends and see what's new with you!

Dutch oven BBQ

Ever since I got a cast iron dutch oven with my birthday money last year, I've been amazed at all the wonderful recipes I keep finding to use it with. And I haven't used hardly any of my other kitchen cookware since the day I got it either- even my slow cooker can't hold a candle to the way it cooks meat into a tender delight. I haven't figured out exactly why it cooks so well, but I have a hunch it could be the weight of the heavy cast iron lid that seals it off and keeps the moisture inside. Or, maybe not, but I know for a fact Hubby has never bragged on the roasts I've cooked in the past like he has lately. And the best part, especially for someone like me who has to budget our groceries down to the penny every week, is that you can actually buy the cheaper cuts of meat and have them turn out just as tender and flavorful as the expensive (and smaller) cuts.

A couple of weeks ago I was in the grocery store checking out the marked-down items in the meat department, and I came across a rather large bone-in pork roast for a great price. I immediately thought of how much Hubby loves pork barbeque sandwiches and wondered how it would cook up in the dutch oven. So, I picked up the roast and a bottle of my favorite sauce and headed home. That weekend I made it for the first time, and it was delicious! So much so, I had a special request from Hubby for it again this week. If you have a dutch oven, you'll definitely want to try this- your pork roast will turn out so tender you won't believe it!

I started out by mixing up just a small amount of my favorite sauce (about 4 ounces) with some water....

Enough water to partially cover the roast. (This was a large roast, so it took about 2 1/2 to 3 cups of liquid.)

Into the oven for about 3-4 hours at 300 degrees, then the last hour or so I turned up the heat to 350 to melt away any remaining fat still on the roast. (I didn't trim any fat before putting it in the dutch oven- the cooking process does that for you.)

Total cooking time for this roast (which was almost 4 lbs.) was about 4 1/2 hours- you can allow less time for a smaller roast. (You definitely don't want to overcook it!)

As you can tell from this picture, it literally forks apart!

 

I added the rest of the sauce and mixed it into the meat with my hands while also pulling the meat apart into smaller pieces and...

Ta-da!

Add that with some baked beans and sweet corn from last years' garden, and all that's left to do now is eat.

Happy cooking, everybody!

Rainy day bakin'

Smokey warms his bones (and dries his paws) in front of the wood stove.

After making my afternoon rounds to the barn and the chicken coops, I came inside to try and get the wood stove going again. Today would have been a good day for my sewing machine to have been humming away, but once I came inside and warmed up I decided to bake instead. I found a wonderful recipe for some molasses cookies a few weeks ago and ever since then, Hubby has been eating them as fast as I can make them. How about we make some together!

Start off by preheating the oven to 350 degrees, then get 1/2 cup of butter, 1 cup of sugar, and 1/4 cup of shortening ready.

Cream the butter, sugar, and shortening, and add 1 large egg and 1/4 cup molasses to the mixture and mix well.

Meanwhile, in another bowl I've put the dry ingredients:

2 1/4 cups of all-purpose flour, 1tsp each of cinnamon, ginger, baking soda, and salt.

Add dry ingredients slowly to the batter and mix well. Batter should be sticky, but stiff enough to not stick to your fingers.

On the cookie sheets, sprinkle a small amount of sugar...

Then scoop out a walnut-sized ball of batter and roll in the sugar.

Once they're on the cookie sheet, sometimes I feel wild and sprinkle a little more sugar on the cookie dough. (*snicker* Our little secret, okay?)

Then, into the oven they go for 10-12 minutes...

And....

Ta-da!

Thanks for baking with me on a rainy day!