Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Do you keep all your eggs in one basket?


I love eggs. Eggs do not love me. When I eat them alone, I have about a 50/50 chance of getting sick. When I'm craving a fried egg sandwich, that 50/50 chance is worth it. Or, at least it is until the nausea sets in for a few hours. Strangely enough, eggs do not bother me if they are baked in something healthy, like cookies or cake. So, I'll buy a dozen eggs to make something sweet and end up with about 10 eggs left over just waiting in the refrigerator for another inspiration. They look good. They look pretty. The egg carton even has a nice little expiration date on it. But, how old are those eggs? How long have they been sitting in the store? How much longer will they last? It's actually pretty easy to tell a fresh egg from one that is several weeks old. Here's a little trick you can try the next time you bring home a dozen eggs.
.
Fill a large bowl with cold water. You want enough water to cover the eggs with at least three inches of water. Place one egg in the bottom of the bowl. If it lays on its side or bobs slightly, it's only a few days old. If it stands up with the small end at the bottom of the bowl, the egg is about two or three weeks old. And, if the egg is bad, it will float. Just remember this - good eggs sink - bad eggs float.
.
Follow this trick each time you bring home eggs so that you can use the older ones first. It also comes in handy for those of you that don't leave your eggs in the original carton. But, don't keep them in a basket - unless they're boiled!

Friday, February 20, 2009

Artful Bras Project

I know this isn't about cooking or tales from the hollow, but sometimes I run across something so interesting that I just have to share it with you. A friend sent me this info on a quilting project.

Members of Quilters of South Carolina have created some beautiful and unique bras for Breast Cancer Awareness. Check them out at The Artful Bras Project. You might also want to check out their official website at Quilters of South Carolina.
For info on breast cancer awareness and how you can help, visit Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

Sunday, February 15, 2009

Mom's Barbecue Sauce


How do you tell if a recipe is good?






Well, if you're looking thru one of Mom's cookbooks, you can usually tell the good recipes by the stains on the pages. Mom believed in cooking all over the kitchen and all over the cookbook. This is a picture from an old cookbook I started as a child. As you can see, I am my Mother's daughter!


Mom's Barbecue Sauce can be used for Southern Style Ribs or homemade Sloppy Joe's. She used it to make homemade barbecue or pulled pork sandwiches. Click here for the Southern Style Ribs recipe on Simple Cookery. For the ribs, I doubled the recipe.

Mom's Barbecue Sauce
.
1/2 cup canola oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3/4 cup catsup
3/4 cup water
1/3 cup lemon juice
3 Tablespoons sugar
3 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 Tablespoons prepared mustard
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
.
Cook onion in oil until tender over medium heat, but not brown. Add remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes.

Sunday, February 8, 2009

Coupons

Kay MacVey of Ames, Iowa has been clipping grocery coupons for our Soldiers for years. The coupons are distributed to Soldiers for use in commissaries overseas in Germany, Japan, Italy, etc. Coupons that are expired are still able to be redeemed in overseas commissaries for a couple of months. If you would like to contribute your extra coupons to MacVey's cause, mail coupons to:

Kay MacVey
3419 Polaris Drive
Ames, IA 50010

This is a great cause and a wonderful outlet for your extra coupons.

Thursday, February 5, 2009

Kinds of Love

Just in time for Valentine's Day.....

KINDS OF LOVE

Foolish love is only folly;
Wanton love is too unholy;
Greedy love is covetous;
Idle love is frivolous;
But the gracious love is it
That doth prove the work of wit.

Beauty but deceives the eye;
Flattery leads the ear awry;
Wealth doth but enchant the wit;
Want, the overthrow of it;
While in Wisdom's worthy grace,
Virtue sees the sweetest face.

There hath Love found out his life,
Peace without all thought of strife;
Kindness in Discretion's care;
Truth, that clearly doth declare
Faith doth in true fancy prove,
Lust the excrements of Love.

Then in faith may fancy see
How my love may construèd be;
How it grows and what it seeks;
How it lives and what it likes;
So in highest grace regard it,
Or in lowest scorn discard it.

by Robert Greene