Tales from the Hollow

Buttercup Memories

2012-02-12T06:55:00.000-08:00

Every time I see Buttercups, I think of Mom. I can’t say they were her favorite flower, but they definitely ranked near the top of the list. You probably know them as daffodils or jonquils, but we always called them Buttercups in the hollow.
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One year, near a favorite fishing spot, Mom and I found Buttercups blooming in a ravine along the side of the road. We didn’t have anything to use for a vase, but wanted to pick a bouquet. We finally used one of Daddy’s rubber boots that he kept in the truck. I can still see that boot stuffed and overflowing with those beautiful yellow flowers. And, I can still hear our laughter. You would have thought we had stumbled across a pot of gold. We came back later that year and dug up a few bulbs. They still bloom in my yard today.
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Have you ever noticed that Buttercups bloom in some of the most unusual places? Every Spring, Buttercups will bloom and give a silent tribute to the past. They show us where families used to live. You’ll find them near an abandoned farm house, in vacant lots, fields and along the side of the road for no apparent reason. Someone, long ago, planted bulbs and they multiplied over the years. Do you ever think about the person that planted them? Ever wonder what their life was like? They carved out a living on a littlie piece of land and while doing so took the time to plant flowers for no reason other than the joy they bring. Years later, when no one remembers their name, a stranger comes along and enjoys the view or perhaps picks a bouquet. The joy spreads. Lives are touched and made all the better for it.
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How will you spread joy today?

Tomato Catsup or Ketchup

2012-02-06T19:04:00.000-08:00

Catsup or Ketchup? Which do you prefer? Back in the hollow, we used to make our own catsup. And, it was so much better than anything you buy in stores today. The main reason was probably the home grown tomatoes. I don't remember our catsup calling for as much salt as in this vintage recipe. I think this recipe could be a great starting point if you wanted to make your on catsup. Just use a couple of cans of crushed tomatoes and adjust the seasoning to your own taste. And, definitely taste before adding salt! I'm betting a tablespoon would be sufficient.

TOMATO CATSUP—This catsup has a good relish on account of the onion in it. Wash ripe tomatoes, cut them in slices and cook slowly for one hour. Press through a sieve to take out the seeds and skin. To one quart of this pulp and juice add one tablespoon of cinnamon, one of black pepper and one of mustard, one teaspoon of cayenne, one-half cup of salt and two onions chopped fine. Simmer two and one-half hours, then add two cups of vinegar, cook an hour longer. Put in sterilized bottles and seal. Refrigerate.

Flaxseed Lemonade

2012-02-03T19:35:00.000-08:00

One of my Aunts used to drink a cup of flaxseed tea every morning. She would boil a few whole seeds for minute and then pour it into a cup. Once it cooled enough, she'd drink it straight, seeds and all. I never acquired a taste for it. The water thickens up to the consistency of egg whites. I ran across this vintage recipe from an early 1900's cookbook and it brought back memories of my Aunt standing at the stove making her tea. By adding honey, and a little lemon, it made a delicious hot drink.
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Flaxseed Lemonade
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—Pour one quart of boiling water over four tablespoonfuls of whole flaxseed, and steep three hours covered. Then sweeten to taste, and add the juice of two lemons, using a little more water if the liquid seems too thick to be palatable. This beverage is very soothing to the irritated membranes in cases of severe cold.

Throwing Parties

2012-02-01T18:24:00.000-08:00

Thanks for the post from Sylvester Campbell
Ever since my husband and I moved into our fabulous house, we love to throw parties. The house just has such a great setup for parties and we can’t resist throwing one whenever there is a reason. We have a pool in the backyard that is perfect for daytime parties and barbeques. We also have a lot of open space in the house that is great for cocktail parties, and even a dance floor with a DJ. We usually enjoy all of our parties, but we had some trouble at the last one. The ex-boyfriend of one of my good friends showed up uninvited, and started a fight with her. When we kicked him out he threatened to come back, and we were worried. We went to www.atlantahomesecurity.com and set up a home alarm system right away. So far we haven’t had any problems but we’re nervous about what this guy s capable of. He really went off the deep end when my friend broke up with him. We feel much better now that we have the house armed, but we really do hope he gets some help for his issues.

You Say Polenta; I Say Mush!

2012-01-25T17:37:00.001-08:00

I first took notice of Polenta while watching a cooking competition on The Food Network. I recognized the dish, but not the name. Back in the hollow, we called it mush. It is basically cornmeal and water. We would cook it up and pour it into empty tin cans. Once it was cold, we'd empty it out and cut it into slices. Mom would fry it up in a little butter until it was cripsy on the outside. Most times we would put a spoon of blackberry jam on it for breakfast. I never dreamed or heard of anything called Polenta. But, I suppose you can charge more for mush if you call it something fancy or foreign.
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Have you noticed how much they charge for rolls of Polenta in the grocery store? Try saving some money and make your own. Here's a vintage recipe, but you would still make it the same today. Try experimenting with adding different spices. Tell your family it's Polenta when you serve it, but know it as mush in your heart.

CORN MEAL MUSH

Allow one pint of yellow or white corn meal and one teaspoonful of salt to a quart of water. Sprinkle meal gradually into boiling salted water, stirring all the time. Boil rapidly for a few minutes, then let simmer for a long time. Very palatable served with milk; some people like it with butter and pepper. For fried mush let it get cold, then cut in slices, dip in flour and fry in butter until brown

Of Chickens and City Folk

2012-01-20T05:45:00.000-08:00

I grew up collecting eggs every day from our chickens. During the day, they were 'free range'. In other words, the chickens roamed the yard keeping the bug population under control. On occasion, we would have one of those chickens for dinner. In all those years, I never once thought about the noise that chickens make or the smell involved. There has been a big debate in the city over allowing homeowners the right to keep a few chickens in their yard. It seems that some neighbors do not want the noise or smell. Really? First of all, hens lay eggs, not roosters. Roosters crow, not hens. So, having a few hens to lay eggs for your breakfast table won't really add to your subdivisions noise pollution. What does add to it? Car radios so loud that your windows vibrate when they pass by...music blaring from the house next door...dogs barking constantly because they are confined to a small back yard...I could go on and on. Yet, you don't hear so much about that when someone is debating your right to keep chickens.
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I think the real problem is that people don't want to know where their food comes from these days. What we buy in the grocery store is so far removed from being a live animal that it blurs the line between real food and fake food. We don't go to the store and buy a package of cow or pig. We buy beef and pork and that's the first step in moving away from the live animal that our food was before the slaughter house. That package of chicken tenders used to be a live, breathing being, but a lot of people don't want to think about that or whether or not it was treated with respect during its life. If you don't think about it as a cute, feathered fowl, then it makes it easier to think of it as food. How in the world did we manage to eat the animals we raised a generation ago and still look ourselves in the mirror? Easy, we were hungry. Maybe the problem isn't the noise. Maybe the problem is that your next door neighbor doesn't want to explain to little Johnny the chicken nuggets on his plate were once like the chicken walking around on two legs in your back yard. Johnny might never want to eat chicken again. Or, your neighbor could use the moment to teach little Johnny about the food chain and how it really works.

Mama's Molasses Cake

2012-01-09T01:15:00.000-08:00

Remember how wonderful your Grandma's cake tasted? Those cakes probably included farm fresh eggs which made them good and rich. I've made this recipe over the years, but Mama made it best. If the season was right, Mama would add some hickory nuts or black walnuts to this delicious cake. You can find black walnuts in your grocery store. Soak them in water for about an hour before adding them to the recipe. The recipe doesn't say, but I usually add about a half cup. Also, you'll notice it says 'floured' raisins and currants. Before you add them to the batter, you need to lightly coat them in flour. This keeps them from sinking to the bottom of the pan.
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MAMA'S MOLASSES CAKE
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1 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1 cup molasses
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup raisins and currants
flour to make a soft batter
1 tablespoon ginger
1 tablespoon cloves
1 tablespoon cinnamon
2 cups sour milk
1 teaspoon baking soda
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Cream shortening and sugar. Add molasses and beaten eggs. Sift dry ingredients and add alternately with 1½ cups of sour milk. Mix the soda in the remaining milk and add with remainder of flour. Floured currants and raisins are added last. Bake in a loaf pan in a slow oven (325 degrees)about one hour.

CORN MEAL GRIDDLE CAKES

2012-01-06T20:13:00.000-08:00

We probably had these so often in the hollow because corn meal was always on hand. But, they sure tasted good on a cold winter morning so I though you would enjoy this recipe.

CORN MEAL GRIDDLE CAKES

2 cups corn meal
½ cup flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. soda
2 eggs
2 cups buttermilk
2 tblsp. butter
1½ tsp. salt

Sift flour, corn meal, baking powder, soda and salt. Sift again. Beat eggs well, add the buttermilk and combine with the dry ingredients. Beat until smooth and add melted butter. Bake on hot, greased griddle. Serve with brown sugar or syrup.

A garage makeover to last for years

2012-01-01T09:53:00.000-08:00

Guest post written by Kimberlee Givens

When I go to the trouble of making some home improvements around my home, I like to make sure that they're going to be effective for a long time. There's no use spending time on something when you're not going to reap the benefits of it for a long time. So when I decided that it was time to actually start organizing our garage, I was going to get it done in one day and do it right.

I looked onlien to get some ideas about how exactly I should go about organizing my garage and when I was doing that, I ran across the site homeproimprovement.com. I looked through it some and decided they would be good for us to contact about getting our windows replaced. I keep hearing things about how this winter is supposed to be harsh and if that's the case, I don't want to deal with old drafty windows for another year.

I did find some really good tips for our garage makeover and actually put some of these organizational units that I bought months ago up in the hopes that the garage will stay organized because of them.

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-25T01:29:00.000-08:00

Have a blessed day!

Another Beautiful Sunrise

2011-12-24T11:00:00.000-08:00

CHRISTMAS BUTTER COOKIES

2011-12-17T05:26:00.000-08:00

There's a reason these are called butter cookies. The buttery flavor is delicious and makes this one a favorite any time of the year, but especially at Christmas.

CHRISTMAS BUTTER COOKIES

1 cup soft butter
½ cup brown sugar, packed
2¼ cups flour, sifted

Cream butter until it resembles whipped cream and slowly add the sugar, beating well. Add flour gradually and blend thoroughly. Wrap in waxed paper and chill for several hours. Knead dough slightly on floured board, form into a smooth ball. Roll to about ⅛ inch thick and cut to desired shapes. Place on ungreased cookie sheets and bake in moderate oven (350-f) about 12 minutes. When cold decorate with butter icing, candied fruit, etc.

FRUIT CAKE

2011-12-14T04:48:00.000-08:00

Fruit Cake - you either love it or hate it. And, if you love it, you probably have your own special recipe. This treat is The Swiss Colony Christmas Fruit Cake
and is available from amazon.com
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If you would rather try a homemade cake, there are plenty of recipes available. This vintage recipe probably is not what you would normally think of when someone mentions fruit cake, but it is delicious. I like to mix in some golden raisins and currants. It comes out similar to my Grandmother's Applesauce Cake. Do you have a favorite fruit cake recipe?

FRUIT CAKE

Place in mixing bowl

One-half cupful of brown sugar,
One cupful of molasses,
Two tablespoons of cocoa,
One egg,
One and one-half level teaspoonfuls of baking soda,
One cup cold coffee,
Three and one-half cupfuls sifted flour,
One and one-half teaspoonfuls cinnamon,
One teaspoonful nutmeg,
One cupful seeded raisins,
One-half cupful chopped nuts.

Beat to thoroughly mix and then pour in a greased and floured cake pan and bake in a moderate oven (350 degrees) for one hour.

Why I live in the country...

2011-12-12T17:40:00.000-08:00

People often ask me why I live in the country, especially when something as simple as meeting friends for lunch turns into an afternoon because of the driving distance. I'm fortunate to work from home now, but I spent years, make that decades, commuting. It was a two hour round trip and, at times, I did consider moving closer. In the end, it wasn't worth giving up the peace and quiet of country living.
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I never get tired of sunsets like this one. In fact, I've taken so many pictures of country scenes, I decided to make a calender for friends this year. Take a look at the finished product here. Let me know what you think of the pictures. They're some of my favorite scenes from this year.
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What's your gift idea this year?

Christmas Gift Ideas

2011-12-06T21:16:00.000-08:00

How's your Christmas shopping going this year? It seems like we have a few extra days, but it's just around the corner. I've been doing a lot of research online this year. I guess I'm trying to be a more savvy consumer. Plus a little time spent online can sometimes give you some great gift ideas.
I was thinking about doing a gift basket for a really special caregiver and thought I'd add a couple of cotton scrub uniforms to it along with some hand lotions and sanitizers. I wanted something useful, but also pretty. I loved the selection I found at http://www.blueskyscrubs.com/categories/Scrubs/Scrubs-for-Women/Original-Scrubs/. It gave me so many color ideas that I almost wish I was doing more gift baskets!

What's your gift idea this Season?

MORAVIAN CHRISTMAS COOKIES

2011-12-03T19:46:00.000-08:00

What's your favorite Christmas memory? One of mine is baking cookies with my Mom. Do you think she thought that we were making a lifetime of memories? Probably not. Like any Mother, she was busy. With everything that Moms do for us, how could she not be overwhelmed? Christmas is such a busy time of the year that it's easy to get caught up in the rush and miss the really important things. I hope this year that you take the time to make a special memory with your little ones.

MORAVIAN CHRISTMAS COOKIES

1/2 cup shortening
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup molasses
1 egg
4 cups flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon cloves
½ teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon soda

Blend shortening, sugar and molasses. Add beaten egg. Sift dry ingredients and combine. Mix well, roll out and cut in fancy shapes. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. When cool decorate with boiled icing.

Need Quick Dowloads?

2011-11-30T15:58:00.000-08:00

Need Quick Dowloads?
The Author of this post is Delmar Bailey

After I moved a few months ago I was done with my internet service provider. I was sick of the sluggish and slow downloads and just needed a fresh start. I started doing some serious research on new internet service providers because I didn’t want to get stuck locked into a contract with sub-par service again. I came upon some clear internet reviews and was surprised to see that there was actually an internet service provider that wasn’t getting completely bashed in my town. The plans they offered were super flexible and I wouldn’t have to get locked into a contract. I also started asking around with friends and family who also recommended the service. Hopefully after this I won’t have to move for a while and I won’t have to switch any my broadband internet again. It’s really important for me to have fast internet because I like to download a lot of movies and they take a lot of bandwith. I’m sick of it taking forever just to download one movie! You would think that companies would have this down by now since our whole lives are on the net.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-24T09:11:00.001-08:00

I hope you all have a blessed day filled with family, friends and delicious food.

Rainy November Days & Chocolate Soup

2011-11-22T01:18:00.000-08:00

We’re having some rainy November days in the hollow. Between the wind and the rain, the last of the leaves have fallen. These are good days to put a pot of soup on the stove to simmer and then curl up with a good book. What are you cooking and reading today?

I ran across this vintage recipe and thought you would enjoy it. I believe that milk would be a good substitute for water in this recipe.

CHOCOLATE SOUP
Put three tablespoonfuls of cocoa into a double boiler, and add gradually one pint of boiling water. Stir for at least five minutes over the fire. Add four tablespoonfuls of sugar, take from the fire and add a teaspoonful of vanilla. Turn this into one pint of cracked ice, and when the soup is cold, turn into the serving cups, and put on the surface a tablespoonful of whipped cream, and serve

Angel Wings in the Hollow

2011-11-20T13:05:00.000-08:00

I know they’re just clouds, but they look like angel wings to me. Remember looking for shapes in the clouds when you were a child. We’d search the sky for hours picking out different animals or faces. When is the last time you did that? It’s a simple pleasure that is still free. Take advantage of it today!
Have a blessed day.

Thanksgiving Day Menu

2011-11-13T17:01:00.000-08:00

I thought you'd enjoy a vintage Thanksgiving Day menu and recipes. Have a blessed day!

Oyster Soup

Crisp Oyster Crackers

Celery Pepper Mangoes

Roast Turkey

Bread Stuffing Giblet Sauce

Cranberry Jelly

Mashed Potatoes

Baked Hubbard Squash

Sweet Corn, New England Style

Creamed Onions

Spiced Pears

Hot Slaw

Thanksgiving Pudding

Drawn Butter Sauce

Pumpkin Pie

Apple Pie

Fruits—Nuts—Raisins—Stuffed Dates

Water Biscuit—Cheese

Café Noir

OYSTER SOUP

1 quart select oysters.
4 cups scalded milk.
1 stalk celery broken in pieces.
¼ cup butter.
¾ teaspoon salt.
¹/₈ teaspoon pepper.

Process: Place oysters in a colander; pour over one cup cold water. Take up each oyster with the fingers to remove bits of shells, reserve the liquor. Heat to boiling point and strain through double cheese cloth, set aside. Scald milk with celery, remove celery and add strained oyster liquor to milk. Plump oysters in their own liquor, take up with a perforated skimmer and lay over butter and seasonings, place in a hot soup tureen. Strain liquor into milk mixture and pour the latter over oysters. Serve at once with crisp, hot oyster crackers.

ROAST TURKEY

Select a plump, ten-pound young turkey; dress, clean, stuff and truss in shape; place it on thin slices of fat pork laid in the bottom of dripping pan; rub the entire surface with salt, sprinkle with pepper and dredge with flour. Place in a hot oven and brown delicately. Turn and brown back of turkey; then turn breast side up; continue browning and basting every ten minutes until bird is evenly and richly browned. Add two cups water to fat in pan; continue basting every fifteen minutes until bird is tender, which may be determined by piercing leg with small wooden skewer. It will require from three to three and one-half hours, depending upon the age of the bird. If the turkey is browning too rapidly, cover with a piece of heavy paper well-buttered, placed over turkey buttered side down. Remove the skewer and strings before placing it on serving platter. (Blog Notes - always follow package directions when cooking raw poultry and use a meat thermometer to determine your bird has reached the proper temperature)

GIBLET SAUCE

Drain the liquid from the pan in which the turkey was roasted. Take six tablespoons of the fat, strain the latter through a fine sieve. Return the strained fat to the dripping pan and place on the range. Add seven tablespoons of flour, stir to a smooth paste and brown richly, being careful not to burn the mixture. Then pour on slowly while stirring constantly, three cups of stock (in which the neck, pinions and giblets were cooked). Bring it to the boiling point, and season to taste. Chop the giblets very fine, first removing the tough parts of the gizzard; then reheat them in sauce, and serve.

GRANDMA'S BREAD STUFFING

Remove the crust from two small baker's loaves; slice and pick in small bits; season with one-half teaspoon pepper, two and one-half teaspoons salt, one-half teaspoon powdered sage, and one medium-sized onion finely chopped; mix well, using two forks; melt two-thirds cup of butter in three-fourths cup boiling water; add to first mixture; toss lightly with forks; add two eggs slightly beaten, mix well, and fill well the body and breast of turkey. If bread is very stale, more moisture may be added. If a crumbly stuffing is desired, omit eggs. (Blog Notes - always follow package directions when cooking raw poultry and use a meat thermometer to determine your bird has reached the proper temperature)

CRANBERRY JELLY

Pick over and wash one quart cranberries. Seed two-thirds cup raisins; add to cranberries; add one cup boiling water and boil twenty minutes. Rub through a sieve, and add to pulp two cups sugar and two-thirds cups scalded seeded raisins; cook five minutes, stirring constantly. Turn into a mold previously wet with cold water. Chill and serve.

SWEET CORN NEW ENGLAND STYLE

Chop one can of corn or two cups of green corn fine. Add three eggs slightly beaten, one-half tablespoon sugar, one teaspoon salt, one-eighth teaspoon pepper, one tablespoon melted butter and two cups scalded milk. Turn into a buttered baking dish or into individual ramekins, and bake in a slow oven until solid or custard-like. Serve in baking dish.

CREAMED ONIONS

Remove the skins from one dozen medium-sized onions, under water—to prevent the odor from penetrating the fingers—or grease the fingers before beginning to peel them. Drain, place them in a sauce-pan, and cover with cold water; bring quickly to the boiling-point and boil five minutes. Drain and cover with boiling salted water; let cook uncovered until tender (about one hour), but not broken. Prepare a thin cream sauce made as follows:

CREAM SAUCE

Melt three tablespoons butter in a sauce-pan; add three tablespoons flour; stir to a smooth paste. Add one and one-half cups hot thin cream or milk; season with salt and pepper. Reheat onions in sauce; turn in hot serving-dish, and sprinkle with one-half teaspoon finely chopped parsley.

HOT SLAW

Shave one-half head white cabbage as fine as possible, using a sharp knife. Serve with a dressing made of yolks of two eggs slightly beaten; add one-fourth cup each of hot water and hot vinegar, slowly beating constantly, four tablespoons butter, a few drops onion juice, one-half teaspoon salt, and sift in one-half teaspoon ground mustard and one-eighth teaspoon pepper. Stir this mixture over hot water until it thickens to the consistency of cream; add to cabbage; mix well; place on range, stirring constantly until mixture is heated throughout. Two tablespoons of sugar may be added.

½ cup butter creamed.
1 cup molasses.
1 cup buttermilk.
3 cups flour.
1 teaspoon soda.
1½ teaspoons salt.
1 teaspoon cinnamon.
¼ teaspoon cloves.
½ teaspoon allspice.
½ teaspoon nutmeg.
1½ cups seeded and shredded raisins.
¾ cup currants.
3 tablespoons flour for dredging fruit.

Process: Cream butter. Add molasses and milk. Sift flour, soda, salt and spices together; add gradually to first mixture; beat thoroughly. Mix raisins and currants; dredge them with flour and add to batter; mix well. Turn into a well-buttered tube mold; fill two-thirds full; place on buttered cover; set on trivet; surround with boiling water and steam three hours. Serve with

DRAWN BUTTER SAUCE

¹/₃ cup butter.
3 tablespoons flour.
1¼ cups boiling water.
¹/₃ teaspoon salt.
½ cup sugar.
¼ cup brandy.
¹/₈ teaspoon nutmeg.

Process: Divide the butter into two equal parts. Melt one part in a sauce-pan; add flour, and stir to a smooth paste; add boiling water slowly, stirring constantly; let come to boiling point. Remove to side of range, and add remaining butter in small bits; continue beating. Then add salt, sugar, brandy and nutmeg. Beat again, and serve very hot.

PUMPKIN PIE

1½ cups steamed and strained pumpkin.
2 tablespoons flour.
1 cup soft brown sugar.
1 tablespoon rose water.
1 tablespoon brandy.
Juice 1 lemon.
Grated rind ½ lemon.
½ teaspoon ginger.
½ teaspoon salt.
¼ teaspoon cinnamon.
2 eggs slightly beaten.
1½ cups milk.

Process: Mix ingredients in the order given. Turn in pie-pan lined with pastry. Bake in a hot oven for the first five minutes to set pastry; then reduce heat and bake slowly twenty-five minutes.

Apple Superstitions

2011-10-23T16:53:00.000-07:00

Do you remember the days when a waitress brought you glasses of water with the menus every time you went into a restaurant? Tables were often already set with a upside-down coffee cup on the saucer. And, you turned the coffee cup upright to indicate you wanted coffee. I wonder if they still do that in some old-fashioned restaurants. Mom always said not drinking all of the glass of water would mean disappointment. I thought that was her way of getting me to drink more water, but it turns out this was an old custom.

With Halloween just around the corner, I've been thinking a lot about superstitions. So many of them are handed down from our families and we often don't realize they are superstitions. Every fall, Grandma and I would peel apples. She was able to peel the whole apple without breaking the peel. She told me that if you could do that, and drop it on the floor, it would form the initial of your future beau. I often thought that was her way of getting me to be more careful. Another apple custom was used when twisting off the apple stem. With each turn of the stem, a letter was said aloud, starting with 'A' and continuing down the alphabet. Once the stem broke, you were to say the first name beginning with that letter that popped into your head. This would be the name of your future beau. To this day, I still follow this custom when removing apple stems. I mostly make it to the letter 'E', though, I've never dated anyone named Edgar!

I thought you might enjoy reading about some apple customs. Let me know if you have any that you don't see here.
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A Hallowe'en mirror is made by the rays of the moon shining into a looking-glass. If a girl goes secretly into a room at midnight between October and November, sits down at the mirror, and cuts an apple into nine slices, holding each on the point of a knife before she eats it, she may see in the moonlit glass the image of her lover looking over her left shoulder, and asking for the last piece of apple

Apple-ducking is still a universal custom in Scotland. A sixpence is sometimes dropped into the tub or stuck into an apple to make the reward greater. The contestants must keep their hands behind their backs

The seeds of apples were used in many trials. Two stuck on cheeks or eyelids indicated by the time they clung the faithfulness of the friends named for them.

In a tub float stemless apples, to be seized by the teeth of him desirous of having his love returned. If he is successful in bringing up the apple, his love-affair will end happily.

An apple is peeled all in one piece, and the paring swung three times round the head and dropped behind the left shoulder. If it does not break, and is looked at over the shoulder it forms the initial of the true sweetheart's name.

On the stems of the apples which are to be dipped for may be tied names; for the boys in one tub, for the girls in another. Each searcher of the future must draw out with his teeth an apple with a name which will be like that of his future mate.

A variation of the Irish snap-apple is a hoop hung by strings from the ceiling, round which at intervals are placed bread, apples, cakes, peppers, candies, and candles. The strings are twisted, then let go, and as the hoop revolves, each may step up and get a bite from whatever comes to him. By the taste he determines what the character of his married life will be,—whether wholesome, acid, soft, fiery, or sweet. Whoever bites the candle is twice unfortunate, for he must pay a forfeit too. An apple and a bag of flour are placed on the ends of a stick, and whoever dares to seize a mouthful of apple must risk being blinded by flour. Apples are suspended one to a string in a doorway. As they swing, each guest tries to secure his apple. To blow out a candle as it revolves on a stick requires attention and accuracy of aim.

Among the quieter tests some of the most common are tried with apple-seeds. As in England a pair of seeds named for two lovers are stuck on brow or eyelids. The one who sticks longer is the true, the one who soon falls, the disloyal sweetheart. Seeds are used in this way to tell also whether one is to be a traveler or a stay-at-home. Apple-seeds are twice ominous, partaking of both apple and nut nature. Even the number of seeds found in a core has meaning. If you put them upon the palm of your hand, and strike it with the other, the number remaining will tell you how many letters you will receive in a fortnight. With twelve seeds and the names of twelve friends, the old rhyme may be repeated:

"One I love,Two I love,Three I love, I say;Four I love with all my heart:Five I cast away.Six he loves,Seven she loves,Eight they both love;Nine he comes,Ten he tarries,Eleven he courts, andTwelve he marries."

A girl who sits before a mirror at midnight on Hallowe'en combing her hair and eating an apple will see the face of her true love reflected in the glass. Standing so that through a window she may see the moon in a glass she holds, she counts the number of reflections to find out how many pleasant things will happen to her in the next twelve months.

When eating an apple, snap it with the fingers and name it for a person of the opposite sex. Count the fully developed seeds (all of the others are kisses), and the last one must correspond to the following formula:—

One’s my love,Two’s my love,Three’s my heart’s desire.Four I’ll take and never forsake,Five I’ll cast in the fire.Six he loves,Seven she loves,Eight they both love,
[39]Nine he comes,Ten he tarries,Eleven he goes,Twelve he marries.Thirteen honor,Fourteen riches,All the rest are little witches.Baldwinsville, N. Y.

Some change the latter lines of this formula into

Thirteen they quarrel,Fourteen they part,Fifteen they die with a broken heart.

Similar rhymes commonly repeated in northern Ohio, after naming an apple and counting the seeds, are,—

One I love,Two I love,Three I love, I say.Four I love with all my heart,And five I cast away.Six he loves,Seven she loves,Eight they both love.Nine he comes,Ten he tarries,Eleven he courts,And twelve he marries.Prince Edward Island and Mansfield, O.

Lay in the hand four apple-seeds and have some one name them, then pick them up, saying,—

This one I love all others above,And this one I greatly admire,And this one I’ll take and never forsake.And this one I’ll cast in the fire.

A love divination by way of apple-seeds, much practiced when a number of young people were spending the evening together, or perhaps by grown-up boys and girls in district schools as they ate their noon-day lunch about the stove, was as follows:—

Two seeds were named, one for a girl and one for a young man, and placed on a hot stove or in front of an open fire. The augury, concerning the future relations of the young people was derived from the behavior of the two seeds. If as they heated they jumped[40] away from one another, the two persons would become estranged or their friendship die; if the seeds moved nearer together, marriage was implied; if the one named for the girl moved towards the other, it signified that the young woman was fonder of the young man than he was of her, and so on.

A common project in my girlhood was to place an apple-seed on each of the four fingers of the right hand, that is, on the knuckles, first moistening them with spittle. A companion then ‘named’ them, and the fingers were worked so as to move slightly. The seed that stayed on the longest indicated the name of your future husband.

Name apple-seeds and place on the lids of the closed eyes. Wink and the first to fall off shows the name of your future husband.

To name apple-seeds, put one on each temple, get some one to name them, and the one that sticks the longest will be the true one.

Name apple pips, put them on the grate, saying,—

If you love me, live and fly;If you do not, lie and die.

A Halloween custom is to fill a tub with water and drop into it as many apples as there are young folks to try the trick. Then each one must kneel before the tub and try to bite the apples without touching them with the hands. The one who bites one first will marry first.

On Halloween hang an apple by the door just the height of the chin. Rub the chin with saliva, stand about six inches from the apple, and hit the chin against the apple. If it sticks to the chin, you will be married, and your true love will stick to you.

Snow in October?

2011-10-20T20:33:00.000-07:00

I think it's going to snow tonight. I cannot believe the low tonight is supposed to dip down to freezing. It's only October! I haven't even planned Halloween or even thought about Christmas baking. Well, okay, to be honest, I have thought about baking. There is just something about colder weather that puts me in the mood. Who can resist the aroma of cookies baking in the oven?
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Every year I think about how nice it would be to have a wall oven or a double oven for Holiday baking. Comparison Shopper has such a wide range of products to review, it takes all the work out of looking for the right oven. I love the idea of comparing them side by side so you can find the features you need for your kitchen. Have you seen those cook tops with the extra large burners? I have an old canner that I use for making big batches of chili. The pot is huge because it was used to can half-gallon jars and it's too big for most burners. Maybe Santa will read this and put one on the 'nice' list for me. I have been very good this year! And, it's never too early to drop a hint or two.
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What are you wishing for this year?

A Bridge Too Far?

2011-10-15T16:37:00.000-07:00

You've often heard me talk about the benefits of country living, but there are some drawbacks too. I had to laugh recently when a 'Bridge Out' sign was placed on a nearby road. I don't think it's a good sign that the county decided to place a permanent sign that says Bridge Out. I take that as a 'sign' we'll be using the detour route for a while yet to come. Yes, it's a little wooden bridge and it does have a hole in the center where part of the plank gave way. I've just been driving around the hole. I guess someone didn't and caused more damage. Can it really take so long to replace a bridge in this day and age? It's been well over a month now already.

As a child, I can remember several wooden bridge in the area. One bridge crossed a pretty large creek. When I was about six years old, the hole in the bridge had widened to three feet across. Our school bus driver was afraid to cross the bridge with all of us on the bus. So, twice a day, we'd all get off the bus and walk across the bridge. Then, our brave bus driver would cross while we all watched wondering if she would fall into the creek below. It seems like we did this for a couple of months before the county finally started replacing the bridge. I can't help but remember that now and compare the two bridges.

Lots of things have happened over the last few decades in the name of progress. But, it seems that the more we strive to change, the more things stay the same.

I thought you would enjoy this vintage recipe - especially the name!

SATISFACTION SOUP

One cup navy beans; four slices bacon; one No. 2 can of tomatoes; one small onion; one level tablespoonful salt; one-fourth tablespoonful black pepper. Soak navy beans over night, in morning put beans on to boil with a pinch of soda in water. When they come to a boil, pour off this water, return to stove, cover with clear water, add onion and bacon, let boil until tender. When tender strain through sieve, being sure to press all through, as far as possible. Next add the strained tomatoes and seasoning and lastly, thin with cream or milk to consistency desired.

Big Family Hobbies

2011-09-30T20:12:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Darwin Barton

Being part of a big family means everyone’s doing something different all the time, usually. Not in my family! Everyone’s so into soccer I feel like that’s the only thing we all have in common and from playing it to watching it on TV it’s pretty much all we talk about when we get together. My brother Marco is actually an amazing keeper and he plays for the local intermural league. He broke his leg in high school otherwise I think he may have been able to go pro! We got HomeSecurityFamily.comsecurity for mom and dad’s house since they’re literally never home because they’re always watching a game somewhere and cheering some grandchild on from the stands. I don’t know if it’s because we’re a Latino family or just a big, sporty one but it doesn’t seem out of the ordinary to any of us that soccer rules our life! I wouldn’t change a thing about it because we get exercise, fresh air, and to spend a lot of time with each other out at games.

September 11th

2011-09-11T05:49:00.000-07:00

I slept late. I slept late because there was a sales meeting that day and I didn't have to be there until nine o'clock. One of our agents came in late to the meeting and said a plane had just hit one of the World Trade Centers. I remember thinking it was probably one of those little private planes again and how terrible it was for the pilot. And, I also hoped no one was hurt.

By the time the meeting was over, we headed to the office and my first bit of 'official' news was from the radio. Things were still sketchy at that point, but I remember crying. Once in the office, I learned the other tower had been hit and realization dawned. This was a planned attack. I called my parents and they were at home watching it all unfold on television. I wonder how many times I said 'I love you' that day. Didn't we all?

I had a friend that was on a flight that morning and remember having no way to reach him other than e-mail. The internet was my first sight of pictures. It just didn't seem real. I had a lunch meeting that day that could not be canceled. The restaurant was deserted. You see, I worked near Fort Campbell, and most everyone in the area was in or connected to the military. My boss at the time actually made a joke about my being afraid, and I lashed out. We were all thinking that we could be next. Rumors were everywhere. I was so thankful for the work day to end so I could go home to my family.

That night I was able to see the total devastation on the networks. When President Bush addressed the nation, I remember thinking how thankful I was that he was President. I didn't always feel that way in the years to come, but it changed the way I looked at our leaders forever. Our world changed forever, and we all knew it. Historians can judge our actions in the months and years to follow, but at that moment, we came together as a nation. Don't we always? That's something those that stand against us can never understand. We are one nation, under God, with liberty and justice for all. God Bless America!

People Watching

2011-09-10T17:11:00.000-07:00

Back in the day, Mom and I took a lot of road trips visiting relatives. She always said that you could tell a diner had good coffee if there were a lot of semi-trucks outside. That's probably still true today, but I have another way to tell. If there are a lot people in nursing scrubs, it's a sure way to tell there's some good food and coffee to be found. I was at a little coffee shop near the hospital the other day and was really surprised at how many workers were coming in and out wearing hospital uniforms.

Do you like to 'people watch'? It's fun if you have the time to kill. As I watched everyone come and go, I noticed how many different kinds of uniforms they were wearing. It made me wonder where to buy medical scrubs. Since the coffee shop had free wi-fi, it was pretty easy to find http://www.blueskyscrubs.com/ and check out the latest styles. Don't you just love shopping on the internet? I could have driven all over town trying to find out where to buy scrubs that looked that cute. Instead, I found them in a few seconds of searching online.

What's your favorite way to shop?

….from a tiny little seed

2011-08-21T15:49:00.000-07:00

Back in February I started some heirloom tomato seeds in old yogurt cups. I carefully watched them grow throughout the remainder of the winter until it was time to transplant them outside. I set out 3 plants in pots and only one plant produced tomatoes. And, finally, one grew big enough to pick. It seemed to take forever for it to ripen. Was it worth the wait? Yes and no. Yes, because it’s great to eat something you’ve actually grown yourself. And, nothing beats the flavor of something homegrown. No, because it took forever and I don’t want to wait until August for a fresh tomato. So, next year, I vow an earlier start if the weather cooperates.
What did you grow this year?

Watching the Phantom movie after the play

2011-08-07T08:48:00.000-07:00

Guest post written by Ruth Bridges

I was so excited for us to go and see the Phantom of the Opera play while we were in New York for vacation this summer! It really was so great and I was so impressed with it! But it was way more better than I respected because the movie was OK but just did not even compare to the actual play!

They talk about movie making magic, but I think Broadway has way more magic than that. I went online to rent the movie again from Netflix to watch right before the play. While I was online browsing DVDs, I came across the site HearingaidsbyMIRACLEEAR.com. After I looked at it some, I decided to sign up for a heaing aid test. So I did and got settled in with some hearing aids.

I felt so much more confident when we went and saw that play and I was so glad for it! I guess that until I go and visit Broadway again, I'll just have to watch the Phantom movie instead to get my Phantom of the Opera fix

Lost in the mail?

2011-07-08T18:22:00.000-07:00

I freely admit that I'm a creature of habit and have always been a little fanatical when it came to paying bills. Maybe it was growing up poor, but I've always tried to pay things on time even before I had heard of a credit score. Plus, I really hate late charges. It's one thing to pay a late charge because you just didn't have the money available to pay on time. But, to pay a late charge because you forgot the bill? It's like throwing a pile of dollar bills in the floor and setting them on fire. It really irks me and I never really understood it until it happened to me.
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I don't remember what was going on in my life at the time, but I remember totally forgetting to make a payment on an installment loan. This was years ago before you could even get a free credit score. I ended up calling the company and they waived the late charge for me. I don't think companies are as understanding with their fees these days. But, it's always worth a try. I've had a few payments lost in the mail. No, really, they were lost in the mail. Of course, I didn't know until the next bill came in with a big fat late charge. Let that happen on a credit card these days and you'll end up with 24% or higher interest. It's just easier to pay the bill online.
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After years, and I do mean years, the due date changed on my electric bill. Before I even had a house of my own, I'd go with Mom to pay our bill. So, that due date has been in my head since I was a child. They changed it because they were going to centralized billing. Really? Couldn't the central computer use the same due date? So, here I am trying to remember if this is the week the bill comes in the mail. Hopefully it won't get lost in the mail.

Is it the heat or what?

2011-07-06T17:58:00.000-07:00

It's Summer and the living is easy. Right? Maybe it's the heat, but tempers seem to be a little short everywhere these days. I was waiting in line at the pharmacy the other day and they forgot me. So, my wait turned into several minutes. Honestly, I kind of 'zoned out' and didn't realize how much time had passed. At least I didn't notice until the clerk kept apologizing to me. I kept saying it was no problem and also thought, hey, if that's the worse thing that happens today, then it will be a good day. Almost immediately afterward, I was a victim of road rage. It happened so quickly that I didn't have time to be scared, but afterward, I kept wondering what had happened. I still don't know what I did and though I had obviously upset a guy in a pick-up, he never honked his horn.
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So, in the span of a few minutes, one stranger was apologizing to me for something that I wasn't even upset about and another was chasing me down for some unknown slight. What's up with everyone lately? Can't we just take a step back, take a deep breath and relax a little? Do we always have to be wound so tightly that when the slightest thing goes wrong, it's a disaster? Well, waiting a few extra minutes in line is not a disaster. If you've never lived through one, you've definitely seen a disaster on television. And, I betting if you take a step back, you can see the difference.
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Yes, we're all under a lot of pressure - family, work, finances - but you know what? The key words there are 'we're all under a lot of pressure'. Not just you or me, but everyone. We all have our own set of problems and you never know what might be going on in some one's life. You've been there...one of those days where if one more thing happens, you'll either snap or be reduced to a puddle of tears. Just one more straw and it'll break your back. Don't be some one's straw today, and maybe someone will give you a break too. It is summertime after all.

Star Spangled Banner

2011-07-01T05:59:00.000-07:00

Oh! say, can you see by the dawn’s early light
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight’s last gleaming—
Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous flight,
O’er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming!
And the rockets’ red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there;
Oh! say, does that Star Spangled Banner yet wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave!
On that shore dimly seen through the mists of the deep,
Where the foe’s haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o’er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, now conceals, now discloses!
Now it catches the gleam of the morning’s first beam,
In full glory reflected, now shines on the stream;
’Tis the Star Spangled Banner, oh! long may it wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

And where is that band who so vauntingly swore
That the havoc of war and the battle’s confusion
A home and a country should leave us no more?
Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps’ pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight or the gloom of the grave;
And the Star Spangled Banner in triumph doth wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

Oh! thus be it ever when freemen shall stand
Between their loved homes and the war’s desolation,
Blest with victory and peace, may the heaven-rescued land
Praise the power that hath made and preserved us a nation.
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto—“In God is our trust”—
And the Star Spangled Banner in triumph shall wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

Don't you work here?

2011-06-17T18:14:00.000-07:00

I think that I wear 'normal' clothes. But, I cannot count the times that I have been in a store and another customer asked me for help thinking that I worked there. One time, a lady became down right upset with me when I didn't know where the product she was looking for was located. She actually said "Well, don't you work here?". She was shocked and a little embarrassed when I said no. I spent a few hours wandering the hospital while a family member was in surgery several years ago. I guess my mauve top looked a little too much like nursing scrubs. Everyone was asking for directions! I learned a lesson that day to be careful of what I wore when going anywhere near the hospital.
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Maybe it's the Christmas in July sales that usually come around every summer. Or, it could just be that with the end of June, half the year is gone already. Where does the time go?
These days, with cool websites like http://www.blueskyscrubs.com/categories/Scrubs/Scrubs-for-Women/ shopping for uniforms was never easier. And, it's never too early to start thinking about Christmas! What are you giving your favorite medical worker this year?

Pickle Juice & Summer Salad Recipes

2011-06-02T15:49:00.000-07:00

Can you believe it's June already? I don't know where the days go. One of my favorite things about summer in the hollow has always been salads. Mom would make up big batches of potato salad and slaw almost every week. I was talking with Sunflower Sue the other day about saving pickle juice. You know - the juice left over in the pickle jar? Mom always saved it and used it in her potato salad. In days when every drop counted, Mom knew how to get every bit of salad dressing (we're talking Kraft here, not mayo) out of a jar. She'd pour a little pickle juice in the jar and shake it up. And, just like magic, there would be this wonderful 'dressing' she'd use to spice up the potato salad. Or, sometimes we'd use it in a bottle of store bought dressing that didn't have enough left in the bottle to get through dinner that evening. If there was no pickle juice on hand, then a little apple cider vinegar worked just as well.
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To this day, I still save pickle juice. These days, I'll use it as a base for a homemade salad dressing as I don't make potato salad that often. But, it's little things like this that really helped stretch the budget back in the hollow. So, the next time you are about to throw out an 'empty' bottle of salad dressing, try the pickle juice trick.
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Here are some vintage salad recipes I ran across in a cookbook from the late 1800's.

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Plain Salad Dressing is admissible with nearly all salads. It is composed of oil, vinegar, pepper, and salt, and nothing else. Many who do not care particularly for oil, use equal quantities of oil and vinegar, others one-third vinegar to two-thirds oil; these proportions satisfy a large class, but four parts of oil to one of vinegar are about the right proportions, provided the vinegar is of the best.
The plain dressing is made in two ways, either mixed in a bowl and the salad added to it, or as follows: Take a tablespoon and put in it (holding it over the salad) one saltspoonful of salt, one-fourth this quantity of freshly ground pepper, and a tablespoonful of oil; mix and add to the salad. Add three more tablespoonfuls of oil; toss the salad lightly for a few seconds; lastly, add a tablespoonful of sharp vinegar; toss the salad again, and serve.
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Beef Salad.—Cut into neat pieces, an inch in length, half a pound of boiled fresh beef. Take two heads of crisp lettuce, reject the outside leaves, wipe the small leaves separately, place them in a salad-bowl, add the beef. Chop up a sweet Spanish pepper, add a tablespoonful to the salad. Prepare a plain dressing, pour it over the salad; just before serving, mix gently.
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Breakfast Salad.—Scald two ripe tomatoes; peel off the skin, and place them in ice-water; when very cold, slice them. Peel and slice very thin one small cucumber. Put four leaves of lettuce into a salad-bowl, add the tomatoes and cucumber. Cut up one spring onion; add it, and, if possible, add four or five tarragon leaves. Now add a plain dressing and serve.
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Chicken Salad.—The average cook book contains a good deal of nonsense about this salad. Nothing can be more simple than to mix a little nicely cut cold boiled chicken and celery together, with a tablespoonful or two of mayonnaise. Put this mixture into a salad-bowl, arrange it neatly, and over all add a mayonnaise. Garnish with celery tops, hard-boiled eggs, strips of beets, etc. Use a little more celery than chicken. Or, tear a few leaves of lettuce, put them in a salad-bowl, and add half a cold, boiled, tender chicken that has been cut into neat pieces; pour over it a mayonnaise; garnish neatly, and serve.
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For large parties, and when the chicken is apt to become dry, from having been cut up long before it is wanted, it is best to keep it moist by adding a plain dressing. Drain it before using. Put on a flat side-dish a liberal bed of crisp lettuce. Add the chicken, garnish neatly, and, just before sending to table, pour over it a mayonnaise.
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If in hot weather, arrange the salad on a dish that will stand in a small tub or kid. Fill this with ice, place the dish on top, pin a napkin or towel around the tub to hide it from view. Flowers, smilax, etc., may be pinned on this, which produce a very pretty effect.
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In ancient times the fairest and youngest lady at table was expected to prepare and mix the salad with her fingers. "Retourner la salade les doigts," is the French way of describing a lady to be still young and beautiful.
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Cucumber Salad.—If properly prepared, cucumbers are not apt to interfere with digestion. They should be gathered early in the morning and kept in a cool place until wanted. After peeling, slice them very thin; sprinkle a little salt over them; let stand ten minutes, and add cayenne, and equal parts of oil and vinegar. If allowed to remain in salt water any length of time, if oil is omitted, or if their natural juices are squeezed out of them, they become indigestible.
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Orange Salads.—Peel and slice three oranges that have been on ice. Remove the seeds, arrange the slices in a compote, cover with powdered sugar, and add two tablespoonfuls each of maraschino, curaçoa, and brandy. Let it stand an hour in the ice-box before serving. Or, arrange in a dish a neat border of cold boiled rice. Peel and divide into sections three Florida oranges; put the oranges in the centre; dust powdered sugar over all, and set the dish in the ice-box. Just before serving pour over the salad two wineglassfuls of arrack. A plain salad dressing is served with orange salad in some places in the East, but would not suit the American palate.

They're Back!!!

2011-05-22T11:17:00.000-07:00

Little red eyes and enough noise to drive you crazy...cicadas are back! This is the 13-year swarm in Tennessee. And, boy are they loud! I can even hear the roar above the air conditioner. I know some areas are not as loud as not everyone is surrounded by trees. This one posed for a long time on the porch.

Different types of cicadas actually swarm every year, but the big swarms occur with the 17 year and 13 year cicadas. Want to know more about them? Check out Cicadas bring back the buzz or Cicadas.

Fried Potatoes

2011-05-14T05:02:00.000-07:00

Fried potatoes are a guilty pleasure. They didn't used to be. Once upon a time, they were a staple at the supper table. But, over the last few years, the potato, particularly fried, has almost become a four letter food. These fried potatoes found their way unto the breakfast table too. Often the leftover potatoes found their way into a sandwich if meat was scarce. I had forgotten about those long ago sandwiches until I read these recipes. This is exactly how I was taught to prepare fried potatoes in the Hollow. Hope you enjoy them!

Thin Fried Potatoes.

Pare and cut raw potatoes very thin, with either the vegetable slicer or a sharp knife. Put them in cold water and let them stand in a cold place (the ice chest is best) from ten to twenty-four hours. This draws out the starch. Drain them well. Put about one pint in the frying basket, plunge into boiling lard, and cook about ten minutes. After the first minute set back where the heat will decrease. Drain, and dredge with salt. Continue this until all are fried. Remember that the fat must be hot at first, and when it has regained its heat after the potatoes have been added, must be set back where the potatoes will not cook fast. If the cooking is too rapid they will be brown before they have become crisp. Care must also be taken, when the potatoes are first put in the frying kettle, that the fat does not boil over. Have a fork under the handle of the basket, and if you find that there is danger, lift the basket partly out of the kettle. Continue this until all the water has evaporated; then let the basket remain in the kettle. If many potatoes are cooked in this way for a family, quite an amount of starch can be saved from the water in which they were soaked by pouring off the water and scraping the starch from the bottom of the vessel. Dry, and use as any other starch.

French Fried Potatoes.

Pare small uncooked potatoes. Divide them in halves, and each half in three pieces. Put in the frying basket and cook in boiling fat for ten minutes. Drain, and dredge with salt. Serve hot with chops or beefsteak. Two dozen pieces can be fried at one time.

Vintage Game Recipes

2011-05-10T01:53:00.000-07:00

Cute and cuddly, but also tasty. Wild game can be an acquired taste, but in the hollow it was a way of life. Here are some vintage game recipes from a late 1800's cookbook.

SQUIRREL.

They are cooked similar to rabbits, are excellent when broiled or made into a stew, and, in fact, are very good in all the different styles of cooking similar to rabbit.

There are many species common to this country; among them the black, red, gray and fox. Gophers and chipmunks may also be classed as another but smaller variety.

ROAST HARE OR RABBIT.

A very close relationship exists between the hare and the rabbit, the chief difference being in the smaller size and shorter legs and ears of the latter. The manner of dressing and preparing each for the table is, therefore, pretty nearly the same. To prepare them for roasting, first skin, wash well in cold water and rinse thoroughly in lukewarm water. If a little musty from being emptied before they were hung up, and afterward neglected, rub the insides with vinegar and afterward remove all taint of the acid by a thorough washing in lukewarm water. After being well wiped with a soft cloth put in a dressing as usual, sew the animal up, truss it, and roast for half or three-quarters of an hour, until well browned, basting it constantly with butter and dredging with flour, just before taking up.

To make a gravy, after the rabbits are roasted, pour nearly all the fat out of the pan, but do not pour the bottom or brown part of the drippings; put the pan over the fire, stir into it a heaping tablespoonful of flour, and stir until the flour browns. Then stir in a pint of boiling water. Season the gravy with salt and pepper; let it boil for a moment. Send hot to the table in a tureen with the hot rabbits. Serve with currant jelly.

FRICASSEE RABBIT.

Clean two young rabbits, cut into joints, and soak in salt and water half an hour. Put into a saucepan with a pint of cold water, a [Pg 103]bunch of sweet herbs, an onion finely minced, a pinch of mace, half a nutmeg, a pinch of pepper and half a pound of salt pork cut in small thin slices. Cover and stew until tender. Take out the rabbits and set in a dish where they will keep warm. Add to the gravy a cup of cream (or milk), two well-beaten eggs, stirred in a little at a time, a tablespoonful of butter, and a thickening made of a tablespoonful of flour and a little milk. Boil up once; remove the saucepan from the fire, squeeze in the juice of a lemon, stirring all the while, and pour over the rabbits. Do not cook the head or neck.

FRIED RABBIT.

After the rabbit has been thoroughly cleaned and washed, put it into boiling water, and let it boil ten minutes; drain it, and when cold, cut it into joints, dip into beaten egg, and then in fine bread crumbs; season with salt and pepper. When all are ready, fry them in butter and sweet lard, mix over a moderate fire until brown on both sides. Take them out, thicken the gravy with a spoonful of flour, turn in a cup of milk or cream; let all boil up, and turn over the rabbits. Serve hot with onion sauce. (See SAUCES.) Garnish with sliced lemon.

RABBIT PIE.

This pie can be made the same as "Game Pie" excepting you scatter through it four hard-boiled eggs cut in slices. Cover with puff paste, cut a slit in the middle, and bake one hour, laying paper over the top should it brown too fast.

BROILED RABBITS.

After skinning and cleaning the rabbits, wipe them dry, split them down the back lengthwise, pound them flat, then wrap them in letter paper well buttered, place them on a buttered gridiron, and broil over a clear, brisk fire, turning them often. When sufficiently cooked, remove the papers, lay them on a very hot platter, season with salt, pepper and plenty of butter, turning them over and over to soak up the butter. Cover and keep hot in a warming oven until served.

SALMI OF GAME.

This is a nice mode of serving the remains of roasted game, but when a superlative salmi is desired, the birds must be scarcely more than half roasted for it. In either case, carve them very neatly, and [Pg 104]strip every particle of skin and fat from the legs, wings and breasts; bruise the bodies well, and put them with the skin and other trimmings into a very clean stewpan. If for a simple and inexpensive dinner, merely add to them two sliced onions, a bay-leaf, a small blade of mace and a few peppercorns; then pour in a pint or more of good veal gravy, or strong broth, and boil it briskly until reduced nearly half; strain the gravy, pressing the bones well to obtain all the flavor; skim off the fat, add a little cayenne and lemon juice, heat the game very gradually in it, but do not on any account allow it to boil; place pieces of fried bread around a dish, arrange the birds in good form in the centre, give the sauce a boil, and pour it on them.

ROAST HAUNCH OF VENISON.

To prepare a haunch of venison for roasting, wash it slightly in tepid water and dry it thoroughly by rubbing it with a clean, soft cloth. Lay over the fat side a large sheet of thickly-buttered paper, and next a paste of flour and water about three-quarters of an inch thick; cover this again with two or three sheets of stout paper, secure the whole well with twine, and put down to roast, with a little water, in the dripping-pan. Let the fire be clear and strong; baste the paper immediately with butter or clarified drippings, and roast the joint from three to four hours, according to its weight and quality. Doe venison will require half an hour less time than buck venison. About twenty minutes before the joint is done remove the paste and paper, baste the meat in every part with butter, and dredge it very lightly with flour; let it take a pale brown color, and serve hot with unflavored gravy made with a thickening in a tureen and good currant jelly. Venison is much better when the deer has been killed in the autumn, when wild berries are plentiful, and it has had abundant opportunities to fatten upon this and other fresh food.

BROILED VENISON STEAK.

Venison steaks should be broiled over a clear fire, turning often. It requires more cooking than beef. When sufficiently done, season with salt and pepper, pour over two tablespoonfuls of currant jelly melted with a piece of butter. Serve hot on hot plates.

Delicious steaks, corresponding to the shape of mutton chops, are cut from the loin.

BAKED SADDLE OF VENISON.

Wash the saddle carefully; see that no hairs are left dried on to the outside. Use a saddle of venison of about ten pounds. Cut some salt pork in strips about two inches long and an eighth of an inch thick, with which lard the saddle with two rows on each side. In a large dripping-pan cut two carrots, one onion and some salt pork in thin slices; add two bay-leaves, two cloves, four kernels of allspice, half a lemon sliced, and season with salt and pepper; place the saddle of venison in the pan, with a quart of good stock boiling hot and a small piece of butter, and let it boil about fifteen minutes on top of the stove; then put it in a hot oven and bake, basting well every five minutes, until it is medium rare, so that the blood runs when cut; serve with jelly or a wine sauce. If the venison is desired well done, cook much longer, and use a cream sauce with it, or stir cream into the venison gravy.

Venison should never be roasted unless very fat. The shoulder is a roasting piece and may be done without the paper or paste.

In ordering the saddle request the butcher to cut the ribs off pretty close, as the only part that is of much account is the tenderloin and thick meat that lies along the backbone up to the neck. The ribs which extend from this have very little meat on them, but are always sold with the saddle. When neatly cut off they leave the saddle in a better shape, and the ribs can be put into your stock-pot to boil for soup.

VENISON PIE OR PASTRY.

The neck, breast and shoulder are the parts used for a venison pie or pastry. Cut the meat into pieces (fat and lean together) and put the bones and trimmings into the stewpan with pepper and salt, and water or veal broth enough to cover it. Simmer it till you have drawn out a good gravy. Then strain it.

In the meantime make a good rich paste, and roll it rather thick. Cover the bottom and sides of a deep dish with one sheet of it, and put in your meat, having seasoned it with pepper, salt, nutmeg and mace. Pour in the gravy which you have prepared from the trimmings, and a glass of port wine. Lay on the top some bits of butter rolled in flour. Cover the pie with a thick lid of paste and ornament it handsomely with leaves and flowers formed with a tin cutter. Bake two or more hours according to the size. Just before it is done, pull it forward in the oven, and brush it over with beaten egg; push it back and let it slightly brown.

VENISON HASHED.

Cut the meat in nice small slices, and put the trimmings and bones into a saucepan with barely water enough to cover them. Let them stew for an hour. Then strain the liquid into a stewpan; add to it some bits of butter, rolled in flour, and whatever gravy was left of the venison the day before. Stir in some currant jelly, and give it a boil up. Then put in the meat, and keep it over the fire just long enough to warm it through; but do not allow it to boil, as it has been once cooked already.

FRIED VENISON STEAK.

Cut a breast of venison into steaks; make a quarter of a pound of butter hot in a pan; rub the steaks over with a mixture of a little salt and pepper; dip them in wheat flour, or rolled crackers, and fry a rich brown; when both sides are done, take them up on a dish, and put a tin cover over; dredge a heaping teaspoonful of flour into the butter in the pan, stir it with a spoon until it is brown, without burning; put to it a small teacupful of boiling water, with a tablespoonful of currant jelly dissolved into it; stir it for a few minutes, then strain it over the meat and serve. A glass of wine, with a tablespoonful of white sugar dissolved in it, may be used for the gravy, instead of the jelly and water. Venison may be boiled, and served with boiled vegetables, pickled beets, etc., and sauce.

Same Time Last Year

2011-05-07T12:39:00.001-07:00

I never thought that I would be posting flood pictures again this year. While Nashville was spared this time around, West Tennessee has been hit hard. This is a view of the Tennessee River at Paris Landing. Normally you can drive all the way down to the end of the trees.

Another view of Paris Landing.

This is the picnic area at Paris Landing.

This reminds me of pictures I’ve seen of Reelfoot Lake.

Another view of the picnic area. Those are actually picnic tables almost covered by the river.

Chicken Feathers

2011-05-04T01:38:00.000-07:00

'If we have chicken again, I'm gonna grow feathers!' That was a favorite saying in the hollow and and pretty much true. Back then chickens were cheap as you raised your own. I still think the reason we have so much trouble with ticks now is because we don't have a yard full of chickens taking care of the bugs. While not for the squeamish, it doesn't get much fresher than dressing your own chickens. I thought you would enjoy these chicken recipes from a late 1800's cookbook.
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STEAMED CHICKEN.

Rub the chicken on the inside with pepper and half a teaspoonful of salt; place in a steamer in a kettle that will keep it as near the water as possible, cover and steam an hour and a half; when done, keep hot while dressing is prepared, then cut up, arrange on the platter, and serve with the dressing over it.

The dressing is made as follows: Boil one pint of gravy from the kettle without the fat, add cayenne pepper and half a teaspoonful of salt; stir a tablespoonful of flour into a quarter of a pint of cream until smooth and add to the gravy. Cornstarch may be used instead of the flour, and some cooks add nutmeg or celery salt.

FRICASSEE CHICKEN.

Cut up two young chickens, put them in a stewpan with just enough cold water to cover them. Cover closely and let them heat very slowly; then stew them over an hour, or until tender. If they are old chickens they will require long, slow boiling, often from three to four hours. When tender, season with salt and pepper, a piece of butter as large as an egg, and a little celery, if liked. Stir up two tablespoonfuls of flour in a little water or milk and add to the stew, also two well-beaten yolks of eggs; let all boil up one minute; arrange the chicken on a warm platter, pour some of the gravy over it and send the rest to the table in a boat. The egg should be added to a little of the cooled gravy before putting with the hot gravy.

STEWED WHOLE SPRING CHICKEN.

Dress a full-grown spring chicken the same as for roasting, seasoning it with salt and pepper inside and out; then fill the body with [Pg 88]oysters; place it in a tin pail with a close-fitting cover. Set the pail in a pot of fast-boiling water and cook until the chicken is tender. Dish up the chicken on a warm dish, then pour the gravy into a saucepan, put into it a tablespoonful of butter, half a cupful of cream or rich milk, three hard-boiled eggs chopped fine, some minced herbs and a tablespoonful of flour. Let all boil up and then pour it over the chicken. Serve hot.

PICKLED CHICKEN.

Boil four chickens till tender enough for meat to fall from bones; put meat in a stone jar and pour over it three pints of cold, good cider vinegar and a pint and a half of the water in which the chickens were boiled; add spices if preferred, and it will be ready for use in two days. This is a popular Sunday evening dish; it is good for luncheon at any time.

RISSOLES OF CHICKEN.

Mince up finely the remains of a cold chicken together with half the quantity of lean, cold ham. Mix them well, adding enough white sauce to moisten them. Now have light paste rolled out until about a quarter of an inch or a little more in thickness. Cut the paste into pieces, one inch by two in size, and lay a little of the mixture upon the centres of half of the pieces and cover them with the other halves, pressing the edges neatly together and forming them into little rolls. Have your frying pan ready with plenty of boiling hot lard, or other frying medium, and fry until they become a golden-brown color. A minute or two will be sufficient for this. Then drain them well and serve immediately on a napkin.

CHICKEN PATTIES.

Mince up fine cold chicken, either roasted or boiled. Season it with pepper and salt, and a little minced parsley and onion. Moisten it with chicken gravy or cream sauce, fill scalloped shells that are lined with pastry with the mixture, and sprinkle bread crumbs over the tops. Put two or three tiny pieces of butter over each, and bake brown in a hot oven.

TO BROIL CHICKEN.

After dressing and washing the chickens as previously directed, split them open through the backbone; frog them by cutting the cords under the wings and laying the wings out flat; cut the sinews under the second joint of the leg and turn the leg down; press down the breast-bone without breaking it.

Season the chicken with salt and pepper, lay it upon the gridiron with the inside first to the fire; put the gridiron over a slow fire, and place a tin sheet and weight upon the chicken, to keep it flat; let it broil ten minutes, then turn and proceed in the same manner with the other side.

The chicken should be perfectly cooked, but not scorched. A broiled chicken brought to the table with its wings and legs burnt, and its breast half cooked, is very disagreeable. To avoid this, the chicken must be closely watched while broiling, and the fire must be arranged so that the heat shall be equally dispensed. When the fire is too hot under any one part of the chicken, put a little ashes on the fire under that part, that the heat may be reduced.

Dish a broiled chicken on a hot plate, putting a large lump of butter and a tablespoonful of hot water upon the plate, and turning the chicken two or three times that it may absorb as much of the butter as possible. Garnish with parsley. Serve with poached eggs on a separate dish. It takes from thirty to forty minutes to broil a chicken well.

CHICKEN PIE.

Prepare the chicken as for fricassee. When the chicken is stewed tender, seasoned, and the gravy thickened, take it from the fire; take out the largest bones, scrape the meat from the neck and backbone, throw the bones away; line the sides of a four or six quart pudding-dish with a rich baking powder or soda biscuit dough, a quarter of an inch thick; put in part of the chicken, a few lumps of butter, pepper and salt, if needed, some cold boiled eggs cut in slices. Add the rest of the chicken and season as before; a few new potatoes in their season might be added. Pour over the gravy, being sure to have enough to fill the dish, and cover with a crust a quarter of an inch thick, made with a hole in the centre the size of a teacup.

Brush over the top with beaten white of egg and bake for half to three-quarters of an hour. Garnish the top with small bright celery leaves, neatly arranged in a circle.

FRIED CHICKEN.

Wash and cut up a young chicken, wipe it dry, season with salt and pepper, dredge it with flour, or dip each piece in beaten egg and then in cracker crumbs. Have in a frying pan one ounce each of butter and sweet lard made boiling hot. Lay in the chicken and fry brown on both sides. Take up, drain it and set aside in a covered dish. Stir into the gravy left, if not too much, a large tablespoonful of flour, make it smooth, add a cup of cream or milk, season with salt and pepper, boil up and pour over the chicken. Some like chopped parsley added to the gravy. Serve hot.

If the chicken is old, put into a stewpan with a little water and simmer gently till tender; season with salt and pepper, dip in flour or cracker crumb and egg, and fry as above. Use the broth the chicken was cooked in to make the gravy, instead of the cream or milk, or use an equal quantity of both.

FRIED CHICKEN Á LA ITALIENNE.

Make common batter; mix into it a cupful of chopped tomatoes, one onion chopped, some minced parsley, salt and pepper. Cut up young, tender chickens, dry them well and dip each piece in the batter; then fry brown in plenty of butter in a thick-bottomed frying pan. Serve with tomato sauce.

CHICKEN CROQUETTES. No. 1.

Put a cup of cream or milk in a saucepan, set it over the fire, and when it boils add a lump of butter as large as an egg, in which has been mixed a tablespoonful of flour. Let it boil up thick; remove from the fire, and when cool mix into it a teaspoonful of salt, half a teaspoonful of pepper, a bit of minced onion or parsley, one cup of fine bread crumbs, and a pint of finely-chopped cooked chicken, either roasted or boiled. Lastly, beat up two eggs and work in with the whole. Flour your hands and make into small, round, flat cakes; dip in egg and bread crumbs and fry like fish cakes in butter and good sweet lard mixed, or like fried cakes in plenty of hot lard. Take them up with a skimmer and lay them on brown paper to free them from the grease. Serve hot.

CHICKEN CROQUETTES. No. 2.

Take any kind of fresh meat or fowl, chop very fine, add an equal quantity of smoothly mashed potatoes, mix, and season with butter, salt, black pepper, a little prepared mustard, and a little cayenne pepper; make into cakes, dip in egg and bread crumbs and fry a light brown. A nice relish for tea.

TO FRY CROQUETTES.

Beat up two eggs in a deep bowl; roll enough crackers until you have a cupful of crumbs, or the same of fine stale bread crumbs; spread the crumbs on a large plate or pie-tin. Have over the fire a kettle containing two or three inches of boiling lard. As fast as the croquettes are formed, roll them in the crumbs, then dip them in the beaten egg, then again roll them in crumbs; drop them in the smoking hot fat and fry them a light golden brown.

PRESSED CHICKEN.

Clean and cut up your chickens. Stew in just enough water to cover them. When nearly cooked, season them well with salt and pepper. Let them stew down until the water is nearly all boiled out, and the meat drops easily from the bones. Remove the bones and gristle; chop the meat rather coarsely, then turn it back into the stew-kettle, where the broth was left (after skimming off all fat), and let it heat through again. Turn it into a square bread pan, placing a platter on the top, and a heavy weight on the platter. This, if properly prepared, will turn out like a mold of jelly and may be sliced in smooth, even slices. The success of this depends upon not having too much water; it will not jelly if too weak, or if the water is allowed to boil away entirely while cooking. A good way to cook old fowls.

CHICKEN LUNCH FOR TRAVELING.

Cut a young chicken down the back; wash and wipe dry; season with salt and pepper; put in a dripping-pan and bake in a moderate oven three-quarters of an hour. This is much better for traveling lunch than when seasoned with butter.

All kinds of poultry and meat can be cooked quicker by adding to the water in which they are boiled a little vinegar or a piece of lemon. By the use of a little acid there will be a considerable saving of fuel, [Pg 92]as well as shortening of time. Its action is beneficial on old tough meats, rendering them quite tender and easy of digestion. Tainted meats and fowls will lose their bad taste and odor if cooked in this way, and if not used too freely no taste of it will be acquired.

POTTED CHICKEN.

Strip the meat from the bones of a cold roast fowl; to every pound of meat allow a quarter of a pound of butter, salt and cayenne pepper to taste; one teaspoonful of pounded mace, half a small nutmeg. Cut the meat into small pieces, pound it well with the butter, sprinkle in the spices gradually and keep pounding until reduced to a perfectly smooth paste. Pack it into small jars and cover with clarified butter, about a quarter of an inch in thickness. Two or three slices of ham minced and pounded with the above will be an improvement. Keep in a dry place. A luncheon or breakfast dish.

Old fowls can be made very tender by putting into them, while boiling, a piece of soda as large as a bean.

SCALLOPED CHICKEN.

Divide a fowl into joints and boil till the meat leaves the bone readily. Take out the bones and chop the meat as small as dice. Thicken the water in which the fowl was boiled with flour and season to taste with butter and salt. Fill a deep dish with alternate layers of bread crumbs and chicken and slices of cooked potatoes, having crumbs on top. Pour the gravy over the top and add a few bits of butter and bake till nicely browned. There should be gravy enough to moisten the dish. Serve with a garnish of parsley. Tiny new potatoes are nice in place of sliced ones when in season.

BREADED CHICKEN.

Prepare young chickens as for fricassee by cutting them into pieces. Dip each piece in beaten egg, then in grated bread crumbs or rolled cracker; season them with pepper and salt and a little minced parsley. Place them in a baking pan and put on the top of each piece a lump of butter, add half of a cupful of hot water; bake slowly, basting often. When sufficiently cooked take up on a warm platter. Into the pan pour a cup of cream or rich milk, a cupful of bread crumbs. Stir it well until cooked, then pour it over the chicken. Serve while hot.

BROILED CHICKEN ON TOAST.

Broil the usual way and when thoroughly done take it up in a square tin or dripping-pan, butter it well, season with pepper and salt and set it in the oven for a few minutes. Lay slices of moistened buttered toast on a platter; take the chicken up over it, add to the gravy in the pan part of a cupful of cream, if you have it; if not, use milk. Thicken with a little flour and pour over the chicken.

This is considered most excellent.

Love

2011-05-02T03:35:00.000-07:00

I Would Live in Your Love

I would live in your love as the sea-grasses live in the sea,
Borne up by each wave as it passes, drawn down by each wave that recedes;
I would empty my soul of the dreams that have gathered in me,
I would beat with your heart as it beats, I would follow your soul
as it leads.
-Anonymous

Grandmother's Quilt

2011-04-16T21:02:00.000-07:00

I can remember my Grandmother showing me some of the older quilts handed down from her Mother. She would point out pieces of fabric and say 'this piece here came from brother's shirt, and this one from the twins'. She could point out the origin of almost all the pieces smiling as she spoke. I wish I had listened more back then, but I suppose I listened as much as most. Life always seems to get in the way of living. We all loved and knew we were loved, so there are no regrets there. But, there are questions I'd like to ask. Though Grandma has been gone for several years, it seems I get closer to her as I grow older each year. I think back on our conversations and I'm thankful for those stolen moments.
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I'm not sure who wrote this little poem as it has been around for years. But, it sums up what quilting in the hollow meant to all of us. Quilts were more than warmth on a cold winter's night. They often told a life story and became their own work of art.
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Grandmother's Quilt

Why, yes, dear, we can put it by. It does seem out of place
On top of these down comforts and this spread of silk and lace,
You see, I'm used to having it lie so, across my feet,
But maybe I won't need it here, with this nice furnace heat;
I made it? Yes, dear, long ago. 'Twas lots of work, you think?
Oh, not so much. My rose quilt, now, all white and green and pink,
Is really handsome. This is just a plain, log cabin block,
Pieced out of odds and ends; but still—now that's your papa's frock
Before he walked, and this bit here is his first little suit.
I trimmed it up with silver braid. My, but he did look cute!
That red there in the centers, was your Aunt Ruth's for her name,
Her grandmother almost clothed the child, before the others came.
Those plaids? The younger girls', they were. I dressed them just alike.
[Pg 186]And this was baby Winnie's sack—the precious little tyke!
Ma wore this gown to visit me (they drove the whole way then).
And little Edson wore this waist. He never came again.
This lavender par'matta was your Great-aunt Jane's—poor dear!
Mine was a sprig, with the lilac ground; see, in the corner here.
Such goods were high in war times. Ah, that scrap of army blue;
Your bright eyes spied it! Yes, dear child, that has its memories, too.
They sent him home on furlough once—our soldier brother Ned;
But somewhere, now, the dear boy sleeps among the unknown dead.
That flowered patch? Well, now, to think you'd pick that from the rest!
Why, dearie—yes, it's satin ribbed—that's grandpa's wedding vest!
Just odds and ends! no great for looks. My rose quilt's nicer, far,
Or the one in basket pattern, or the double-pointed star.
But, somehow—What! We'll leave it here? The bed won't look so neat,
But I think I would sleep better with it so, across my feet.

Turkey in the Hollow

2011-04-02T08:11:00.000-07:00

You know it's Spring when a wild turkey is out struttin'. Isn't he beautiful?

THE TURKEY

A fine dashing beau,
By his fuming and strutting,
His pride you may know.

April Nights

2011-04-01T06:37:00.000-07:00

But Not to Me

The April night is still and sweet
With flowers on every tree;
Peace comes to them on quiet feet,
But not to me.

My peace is hidden in his breast
Where I shall never be;
Love comes to-night to all the rest,
But not to me.

Evening Rain

2011-03-23T16:16:00.000-07:00

Evening Rain

Rain fell so softly, in the evening,
I almost thought it was the trees that were talking

- John Fletcher - 1918

Every March

2011-03-20T10:10:00.000-07:00

It seems like every March I get sick with some sort of fever and head cold. This year it's a sinus infection. I tried a new walk-in clinic this weekend for treatment. It was located inside a well known pharmacy. As I was waiting, I noticed almost everyone behind the pharmacy counter was in scrubs. A couple of workers behind the consultation counter were in lab coats. I can't really explain why, but I was comforted by this. It made me feel like they really took their job seriously and with a sense of pride.

These days everyone is so much more casual. Your doctor is as apt to come in wearing jeans and tennis shoes under the lab coat. It is probably more of an attempt at a better beside manner. A few years ago, I would never have noticed. But, as I get older, those things stand out to me. In stores, it's hard to tell the clerks from the customers sometimes. I have even had customers ask me questions thinking I worked there! Maybe it's time we went back to wearing more than a name tag. I'm not saying everyone should wear a uniform, but something that says 'yes, I work here and I would be glad to assist you.' Aren't those workers and clerks the first line of their company's representation?
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In case you're nursing a cold this Spring, here are some vintage recipes from a late 1800's cookbook:
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Chicken Broth for the Invalid

Procure a dry-picked roasting chicken; cut it in halves; put one half in the ice box; chop the other half into neat pieces; put it into a small saucepan; add one quart of cold water, a little salt and a leaf of celery; simmer gently for two hours; remove the oily particles thoroughly; strain the broth into a bowl; when cooled a little, serve to the convalescent. Serve the meat with the broth.

Chicken Soup

Take three young male chickens; cut them up; put them in a saucepan with three quarts of veal stock. (A sliced carrot, one turnip, and one head of celery may be put with them and removed before the soup is thickened.) Let them simmer for an hour. Remove all the white flesh; return the rest of the birds to the soup, and boil gently for two hours. Pour a little of the liquid over a quarter of a pound of bread crumbs, and when they are well soaked put it in a mortar with the white flesh of the birds, and pound the whole to a smooth paste: add a pinch of ground mace, salt, and a little cayenne pepper; press the mixture through a sieve, and boil once more, adding a pint of boiling cream; thicken with a little flour mixed in cold milk; remove the bones, and serve.

Chicken Soup

Cut up one chicken, put into a stewpan two quarts of cold water, a teaspoonful of salt, and one pod of red pepper; when half done add two desert spoonfuls of well washed rice: when thoroughly cooked, remove the bird from the soup, tear a part of the breast into shreds (saving the remainder of the fowl for a salad), and add it to the soup with a wine-glass full of cream.

Are You Ready to ShakeOut?

2011-03-15T06:07:00.000-07:00

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Are You Ready to ShakeOut?

With more the 40 million people living and working in the central U.S., a major earthquake could cause unprecedented devastation. What we do now, before a big earthquake, will determine what our lives will be like afterwards. With earthquakes an inevitable part of this region’s future, we must act quickly to ensure that disasters do not become catastrophes.

The Great Central U.S. ShakeOut in April 2011 will involve more than one million people through a broad-based outreach program, partnership with media, and public advocacy by hundreds of partners. This event is being organized by the Central United States Earthquake Consortium (http://www.cusec.org) and the states of: Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Tennessee. The 2011 Great Central U.S. ShakeOut earthquake drill will be held at 10:15 AM local time on April 28, 2011 (April 19 in Indiana)

A key aspect of the ShakeOut is the integration of comprehensive science-based earthquake research and the lessons learned from decades of social science research about why people get prepared. The result is a “teachable moment” on par with having an actual earthquake (often followed by increased interest in getting ready for earthquakes). ShakeOut creates the sense of urgency that is needed for people, organizations, and communities to get prepared, to practice what to do to be safe, and to learn what plans need to be improved.
Not just any drill will accomplish this; it needs to be big. It must inspire communities to come together. It must involve children at school and parents at work, prompting conversations at home. It must allow every organization, city, etc., to make it their own event.

The 2011 ShakeOut drill will be the largest preparedness event in central U.S. history. To participate, go to www.ShakeOut.org/centralus and pledge your family, school, business, or organization’s participation in the drill. Registered participants will receive information on how to plan their drill and how to create a dialogue with others about earthquake preparedness. All organizers ask is that participants register (so they can be counted and receive communications), and at the minimum practice "drop, cover, and hold on" at the specified time. It is only a five minute commitment for something that can save your life. It all begins with registering, which is free and open to everyone.

For more information, visit www.ShakeOut.org/centralus.

The Dirty U

2011-03-09T14:31:00.000-08:00

Gather close while I tell you the story of The Dirty U. Back in the hollow, card games were played often. These were mostly Rummy and Rook. Well, one Christmas our Uncle gave us all different forms of Scrabble games. Scrabble quickly became a family favorite as all three generations enjoyed nightly games. We were new to this game and allowed the use of a dictionary for brief moments. If you've played Scrabble, you know that drawing the Q can be a blessing or a curse. With 10 points just in that letter, it can create a high scoring word. But, since most words need the U, it was also a difficult letter.
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We never counted our tiles, so we never knew that we were playing with only 3 U's instead of 4. Thinking back, what a difference that extra letter could have meant in countless games. One day, while cleaning, the missing U was found under a corner cabinet. Having been missing for some time, the tile had darkened quite a bit. When we added it to the other tiles, this difference became apparent. Everyone knew where the dirty U was located. The unspoken rule became to leave that tile alone unless you had drawn the Q. Thus, became the legend of The Dirty U in our Scrabble games. I treasure those memories now more than ever and The Dirty U still brings a smile.
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Since snow is in the forecast again, which means a dreary day ahead, here's a vintage recipe for comfort food.

CREAMED CABBAGE and DRIED BEEF

1 large head cabbage
1/2 lb. dried beef
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 cup milk
1/2 cup buttered crumbs

Chop cabbage coarsely and cook in salted water until tender, then drain. Chop the dried beef and soak in a little warm water for 10 minutes. Grease a casserole and in it place alternate layers of cabbage and dried beef. Mix soup and milk until smooth. Pour soup mixture over it and top with buttered bread crumbs. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.

Get Ready To Shake Out!

2011-03-07T07:24:00.000-08:00

Protect Yourself During an Earthquake...
Drop, Cover, and Hold On!

At 10:15 a.m. on April 28, 2011, millions of central U.S. residents will practice Drop, Cover, and Hold On. Many people and organizations will also practice other aspects of their emergency plans.

The Great Central U.S. ShakeOut will be the largest earthquake preparedness event in central U.S. history and will be held on the fourth Thursday in April of 2011.

Register now and join our goal of one million participants in 2011 practicing quake safety!

The central U.S. must get better prepared before the next big earthquake, and also practice how to protect ourselves when it happens. The purpose of the ShakeOut is to help people and organizations do both.

In Like a Lamb

2011-03-02T01:31:00.000-08:00

Well, March has definitely come in like a lamb this year. So, be prepared for anything at the end of the month!
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Just for fun, here's some March lore:

March month of "many weathers" wildly comes,
In hail and snow and rain, and threatening hums and floods.

A wet March makes a sad harvest.

If March comes in smiling and gay, saddle your horses and go and buy hay.

March, Hic, Hac, Ham'
Comes in like a lion
And goes out like a lamb.

If March comes in stormy and black, she carries the winter away on her back.

Free ACCU-CHEK Aviva Meter Coupon

2011-02-28T06:21:00.000-08:00

I have two coupons for a Free ACCU-CHEK Aviva meter with purchase of any ACCU-CHEK Aviva test strips (any size). The coupons expire 5/29/2011. If you're interested, please leave a comment below or e-mail me at simplecookery@aol.com. I'd like to see these coupons go to someone who needs them rather than my trash can.
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Also, if you are interested in trading coupons, please contact me. I have several grocery/personal care products/pet food coupons that I'm not going to use.
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Thanks for the great response everyone - I've given out all the coupons and don't have any more available. Feel free to leave a comment and if I run across any more, I'll contact you.

Comfort Food

2011-02-22T04:05:00.000-08:00

Do you remember those little frozen dinner packets that you would throw into boiling water until they were piping hot? Freezer Queen was the brand we had in the Hollow. There was roast beef and gravy (my favorite), chicken or turkey with gravy. Every once in a while we'd have Chicken a la King too. For a frozen dinner, they weren't bad - especially over home-made mashed potatoes. And, they were cheap for a quick dinner. Home cooking from a plastic pouch! I can see us all gathered around the boiling water waiting for supper. You have to remember, this was back in the day when frozen dinners were still 'new' and considered special. Of course, these days, there are some great gourmet meals in the freezer section. And, some not so great. So, choose wisely.
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To this day, Chicken a la King still feels like comfort food to me. I've made a short cut version using cream of mushroom soup. But, since Winter is still raging, I thought you would enjoy this vintage recipe that takes a little more time.
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Chicken a la King
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3 cups cooked chicken, cut into chunks
1 and 1/2 cups Chicken Broth
1 package frozen peas (10 oz)
1/2 lb. mushrooms, sliced
1/3 cup butter, margarine, or chicken fat (gasp!)
1/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon Ac'cent
dash black pepper
1 and 1/2 cups cream
1/4 cup Sliced Pimentos(2 oz. can, drained)
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Cook peas according to package directions and set aside. Heat chicken broth to a boil and set aside. Heat butter in a saucepan over low heat. Add mushrooms. Cook slowly about five minutes. Remove mushrooms, leaving the drippings in the pan. Mix together the flour, salt, Ac'cent and pepper. Gradually add to drippings in pan. Heat until bubbly and cook 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Add gradually, stirring constantly, the Chicken Brothand cream. Return to heat and cook until thickened. Add the chicken, peas, mushrooms and Sliced Pimentos. Cook slowly until chicken is thoroughly heated. Serve over toast.

First Sign of Spring

2011-02-21T18:29:00.001-08:00

Is this a first sign of Spring or just a tease before March brings us more snow? It’s really hard to believe these little daffodils are starting to bloom after the rough winter we’ve had so far. I guess all the snow insulated them!

Have a blessed day!

For lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone;

The flowers appear on the earth, 
the time of the singing 
of birds is come, 
and the voice of the turtle 
is heard in our land.

The Song of Solomon

Beautiful Sunsets

2011-02-20T04:05:00.000-08:00

When we’re not having snow, we have some beautiful sunsets. This shows the setting sun reflecting on the remaining clouds. It’s so surreal to see that last bit of light when everything else in the hollow is already dark.

I can see just a touch of green at the edge of the woods now as my buttercups (Daffodil )are starting to peak out from the frozen ground. I usually see them around the end of January, but they were probably covered in snow! So, if all goes well, they may even start blooming by the end of February depending on how many more rounds of snow we get by then. But, it is a sure sign that Spring is on the way.

Here’s a dessert to brighten up some gloomy days.

Peach Pippin

2 cans Peaches, drained

1 egg

3 tablespoons milk

1 cup sugar

1 heaping tsp. baking powder

Enough plain flour to make a stiff batter

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Beat egg, add milk and mix well. Add enough flour to make a stiff batter. Cover the bottom of a cake pan with peaches, either canned or fresh. Cover with sugar, the pour the batter over peaches and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Serve with ice cream.

Sunny Days Ahead

2011-02-19T04:02:00.000-08:00

I'm more apt to take a picture of a sunset than a sunrise. But, this one was too pretty to pass by. The frost on the trees looks like an ice storm! Have a blessed day!

Snow on Cedars

2011-02-17T04:00:00.000-08:00

As promised, here are a couple of pictures of our last snow storm. The snow stayed on the trees for days!

If you're snowed in, here's a vintage recipe that's pure comfort food. What's better than meat and potatoes?
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Hamburger Steak Dinner
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Mix together lightly in a large bowl:
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2 pounds ground beef
1/2 cup milk
1 egg, beaten
4 teaspoons, Worcestershire Sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt (I reduced this down from 2 teaspoons!)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
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Set oven to Broil. Shape mixture into an oval shape about an inch and a half thick. Put meat onto broiler rack & place in oven with top of meat 3 inches from heat source. Broil about 12 minutes or until brown on one side. Flip and brown other side approximately same amount of time. Remove and serve with potatoes.
Check out more great recipes at The Grocery Cart Challenge Recipe Swap.

Books in the Hollow

2011-02-15T07:01:00.000-08:00

Dean Koontz cannot write faster that I can read. Okay, well maybe he can, but it definitely takes a while for a new book to be published. Every time I pick one of his new novels, I tell myself that this time, I'll read it slowly. Maybe a chapter a day. By the second chapter, I'm greedily devouring the pages. I've been a fan for years. The first book I read was Lightening. If you've never read a Dean Koontz novel, I'd recommend starting with this one. It's an excellent example of what you can expect in his novels.

Lightening has everything you could want in a novel - suspense, romance, mystery. Koontz leads us down a path of what is and shows us what can be with the life of Laura Shane and her guardian. To say more would give away the plot.

From there, I'd recommend his series based on the character, Odd Thomas. Odd Thomas is a simple fry cook in a small California town whose life is anything but simple. His life is filled with secrets. The main one? Odd sees and talks with ghosts. They cannot or choose not to talk to him so the conversations are a little one-sided. For more information on Odd Thomas, check out Dean Koontz's "Odd Passenger" Webisode 1. It will give you a little insight to the character and the series which includes several Odd Thomas books. Of course, I'm anxiously waiting for more. Like I said...I read pretty fast!
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My favorite 'reading' snack is popcorn sprinkled with cayenne pepper. This vintage snack recipe makes me glad for modern conveniences!
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Coconut Chips.
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Set out baking sheets. With an ice pick, force holes through indentations of 1 medium-size fresh coconut.
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Drain liquid from the coconut. Put the coconut in a baking dish and heat at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and break the shell by tapping sharply with a hammer. Remove meat from the shell and, if desired, pare off brown skin. (The skin will add a nutty flavor to the chips). Form chips by pulling the coconut meat across a shredder.
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Put the chips in a single layer on each baking sheet. Sprinkle over coconut on each sheet 1 teaspoon salt. Place in a 375 degree oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until chips are light brown.

Guest Blogger - No Reservations, One of TV's best

2011-02-14T11:56:00.000-08:00

No Reservations, One of TV's best

Thanks to Roman May

Anthony Bordain's No Reservations is without a doubt the best travel show on television from www.bestchoicetv.com. Whenever I sit down to watch television I check the satellite to see when his show will air. The entire show is built around the premise of getting off the beaten path and seeing how everyday people live their lives in the countries he visits. Anthony is never afraid to take the road less traveled, try local cuisine, or engage in local activities; in f act he seeks out such opportunities. He also isn't afraid to tell it like it is, if he doesn't like the food or people, he will let you know about it.

In a recent episode, Anthony traveled to Greece and despite some misgivings he had about making the trip was pleasantly surprised by Greek hospitality, cuisine and culture. At one stop, he found himself participating in the preparation of the meal, which consisted of slaughtering a sheep, consuming large amounts of alcohol, shooting firearms, and dancing. Anthony's dry humor and commentary provide a comedic yet insightful view into the places he visits along the road less traveled.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

2011-02-13T15:12:00.000-08:00

Here’s a vintage recipe from the 1930’s for an old-fashioned Valentine’s Day.

Chocolate Drop Cookies

Melt 2 squares chocolate over hot water. Cream 1 cup brown sugar and 1/2 cup butter. Add the yolks of two eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1 cup sour milk in which 1 level teaspoon soda has been dissolved, beat together. Add chocolate and 2 cups sifted flour and 1/2 cup nut meats. Beat until smooth. Drop in teaspoonfuls on greased tin and bake in a quick oven.

Rug Beaters

2011-02-13T07:18:00.000-08:00

During this last snow storm, I heard on the news that it was our 7th major storm of the season! But, this week our temperatures are expected to be in the 60's and hardly a cloud in the sky. It's no wonder that my thoughts turn to spring cleaning. Of course, my second thought is the need for carpet rug & upholstery cleaning austin.Do you remember rug beaters? Back in the day before wall-to-wall carpeting became the norm, huge area rugs occupied most rooms. You didn't have to worry about carpet stretching cost austin, but you did have to worry about cleaning the rug. Our living room rug was so big and heavy, it took four of us to carry it outside for cleaning. We'd throw it over the clothes line and literally beat the dirt out of it. It was definitely a method of cheap rug cleaning austin back in the day before professional companies. The hardwood floor underneath would be swept and cleaned before the newly beaten rug returned only slightly lighter than before.

When I groan with the thought of spring cleaning and all it means, I remember the days of rug beaters. It doesn't make me look forward to spring cleaning, but it definitely makes me thankful those days are gone.

Gaslight

2011-02-11T03:56:00.000-08:00

In the hollow, I lived for black and white movies, enjoying them as much as reading novels. I can't count the times lately that I've seen a recent movie and realized it was a remake. I sometimes think there are no new ideas in Hollywood. It bothers me because I read so many great books that would make wonderful movies.

One of my favorite movies is Gaslight. I think this is the movie where I first fell in love with Joseph Cotton. You want an actor? Joseph Cotton was that actor. His film career ranged from 1938 to 1981! In 1944, he starred with Ingrid Bergman, Charles Boyer, and Angela Lansbury in Gaslight.
Gaslight was actually Angela Lansbury's debut. It was a small, but important role, as a maid that set designs on her wealthy boss and definitely helped move the story along.

Ever heard of gaslighting someone? The term comes from this movie. It basically means to deliberately and systematically drive someone mad. In the days of gaslight (a gas lamp), whenever someone turned on a light another room, the light in the room would briefly dim. Think of 'happy hour' when the lights go a little dimmer. For just a second you think, 'hey, it's getting dark in here', and then you realize what happened. Well, in the this movie, there is no easy answer. But, you have to watch it to really appreciate how such a simple action can drive someone mad.

More and more old movies are becoming available on DVD. Of course, Gaslight was one of the first ones to make it to my collection. I was so happy to own an original movie. But, much to my surprise, my beloved version made in 1944 was a remake of a 1940 film released in the United States under the title Angel Street based on a 1938 play titled Gas Light. It seems that Hollywood has made a career of remakes even in it's glory days. After watching the original, I have to say that I still love the remake more. Just don't tell Hollywood!

In case watching Gaslight inspires you to try a spot of afternoon tea, here's a vintage recipe that goes well with any movie.

Lemon Sugar Wafers
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1/4 cup broken walnut meats
3 cups sifted flour
1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter
2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
1 teaspoon lemon extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 and 1/2 cups sugar
1 egg
1 egg yolk
3 tablespoons cream or undiluted evaporated milk

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees and lightly grease cookie sheet. Sift flour, baking powder and salt together and set aside. Cream butter, lemon peal, lemon and vanilla extracts together until softened. Gradually add sugar, creaming until fluffy after each addition. Beat eggs and cream thoroughly. Add egg mixture in thirds to creamed mixture, beating thoroughly after each addition. Mixing until well blended after each addition, add dry ingredients in fourths to creamed mixture.

Drop by teaspoonfuls 1 and 1/2 inches apart onto cookie sheets. Flatten slightly with back of a spoon. Top each cookie with a walnut piece. Bake at 400 degrees 8 to 10 minutes or until cookies are very lightly browned. Remove immediately to cooling racks. Makes about 5 dozen cookies.

Mush Biscuits

2011-02-08T15:12:00.003-08:00

I sometimes think about how the Internet has changed our world and wonder how my grandparents would have felt about it. They faced so many changes during their lifetimes, from the Model T to the moon landing. Our generation has seen so much in the last 20 years that it boggles the mind. The fact that I’m typing this post on a laptop that cost a quarter of what my first computer did and takes up hardly any space is proof of our tech advancements. And, I’m behind the times as I should probably be posting this from my iPhone!

These days I’m more apt to search for a recipe online rather than in a cookbook. One of my Grandmothers also embraced technology. In her generation, it was the typewriter. While many older recipes are handwritten, most of hers were typed out. I’m sure she, like me, found the handwritten ones hard to understand sometimes. I can almost see her hunkered over her typewriter pecking out recipes for future generations. I think she’d be pleased that the recipes she saved for me are now finding their way to you and the world.

Mush Biscuits

1 cake yeast

1/2 cup lukewarm water

1 & 1/2 cup corn meal

1 quart boiling water

1 tablespoon salt

1 cup sugar

2 tablespoons lard

about 1 quart of plain flour, sifted

NOON: Soak 1 cake yeast in 1/2 cup lukewarm water, scald 1 & 1/2 cups cornmeal with 1 quart boiling water and immediately add to cornmeal 1 tablespoon salt, 1 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons lard. When cool, add yeast and set aside.

EVENING: Add sifter of flour or enough for stiff dough. Knead until dough is smooth or does not stick. Grease top and set aside to raise.

MORNING: Knead dough. Cut out biscuits for dinner. Place in greased pan to rise, grease top. Bake in moderate oven until brown. Set remainder of dough, with greased top in refrigerator. (will keep for 2 or 3 days in refrigerator)

Snow, Snow, Snow

2011-02-04T15:18:00.000-08:00

Are we still in Tennessee??? Every week we seem to be having more and more snow. Yes, it’s pretty, but it really does disrupt our daily lives. But, I thought you’d enjoy these pictures anyway.

At least we can see the road!

Surrounded by Trees.

Glad I’m not lost in the woods!

Now which way is home???

How did your day start?

2011-01-19T06:25:00.000-08:00

How did your day start off? If you are like most, you probably hit the ground running this time of the year. I was greeted by these lovely clouds just after the sun came up. Remember to take time out for yourself today!

Foodie News - Farmageddon - January 9th

2011-01-07T16:59:00.000-08:00

I wanted to give you a quick heads up regarding this Sunday’s “Farmageddon” episode of Food Network’s Worst Cooks in America as it relates to using farm fresh ingredients. Since farm-to-table, nose-to-tail, the importance of shopping at local Greenmarkets, and the overall theme of supporting local farms are timely and important topics, I thought you would like to tune-in and check out this week’s competition.

If you haven't yet watched an episode of Food Network's Worst Cooks in America, tune-in and be prepare to be amazed. One contestant actually gave her family food poisoning - twice! One was unsure of how much olive oil to use in a skillet - I cringed as it looked like she was going to deep fry an omelet! Chefs Anne and Robert have a hard road ahead, but it definitely makes for good entertainment.

Premiering Sunday, January 9th at 9pm ET/PT

“Farmageddon”

Awakened by a live chicken in their penthouse, the 14 remaining recruits take a field trip to a farm where Chefs Anne and Robert challenge them to prepare the perfect omelet for their Skill Drill. Back at Boot Camp, in the Main Dish Challenge, both chefs demonstrate a pork dish, and each recruit participates in a step of the demo. Halfway through prep, the chefs surprise the recruits by taking away their notebooks. To finish the task, the recruits must rely on their own memory and each other. After mixed results, the two worst cooks are eliminated.

Vintage Recipes - Vegetables

2011-01-05T03:37:00.000-08:00

I thought you might enjoy reading these vintage recipes from the early 1800's.

96. Potatoes.

The best way to cook Irish potatoes, is to pare and put them in a pot, with just boiling water enough to prevent their burning, and a little salt. Cover them tight, and let them stew till you can stick a fork through them easily. If any water remains in the pot, turn it off, put the pot where it will keep moderately warm, and let the potatoes steam a few moments longer. The easiest way to cook them, is to put them in boiling water, with the skins on, and boiled constantly till done. They will not be mealy if they lie soaking in the water without boiling. They are more mealy to peel them as soon as tender, and then put back in the pot without any water, and set in a warm place where they will steam, with the lid of the pot off. Old and poor potatoes are best boiled till soft, then peeled and mashed fine, with a little salt, butter, and very little milk put in—then put into a dish, smoothed over with a knife, a little flour sprinkled over it, and put where it will brown. Cold mashed, or whole boiled potatoes, are nice cut in slices, and fried with just butter or lard enough to prevent their burning. When brown on both sides, take them up, salt and butter them. Most potatoes will boil in the course of half an hour—new ones will boil in less time. Sweet potatoes are better baked than boiled.

97. Potato Snow Balls.

Take the white mealy kind of potatoes—pare them, and put them into just boiling water enough to cover them—add[41] a little salt. When boiled tender, drain off the water, and let them steam till they break to pieces—take them up, put two or three at a time compactly together in a strong cloth, and press them tight, in the form of a ball—then lay them in your potatoe dish carefully, so as not to fall apart.

98. Turnips.

White turnips require about as much boiling as potatoes. When tender, take them up, peel and mash them—season them with a little salt and butter. Yellow turnips require about two hours boiling—if very large, split them in two. The tops of white turnips make a good salad.

99. Beets.

Beets should not be cut or scraped before they are boiled, or the juice will run out, and make them insipid. In summer, they will boil in an hour—in winter, it takes three hours to boil them tender. The tops in summer are good boiled for greens. Boiled beets cut in slices, and put in cold spiced vinegar for several days, are very nice.

100. Parsnips and Carrots.

Wash them, and split them in two—lay them in a stew pan, with the flat side down, turn on boiling water enough to cover them—boil them till tender, then take them up, and take off the skin, and butter them. Many cooks boil them whole, but it is not a good plan, as the outside gets done too much, before the inside is cooked sufficiently. Cold boiled parsnips are good cut in slices, and fried brown.

101. Onions.

Peel and put them in boiling milk, (water will do, but it is not as good.) When boiled tender, take them up, salt them, and turn a little melted butter over them.

102. Artichokes.

Scrape and put them in boiling water, with a table spoonful of salt to a couple of dozen. When boiled tender, (which will be in about two hours,) take them up, salt and butter each one.

[42]
103. Squashes.

Summer squashes, if very young, may be boiled whole—if not, they should be pared, quartered, and the seeds taken out. When boiled very tender, take them up, put them in a strong cloth, and press out all the water—mash them, salt and butter them to your taste. The neck part of the winter squash is the best. Cut it in narrow strips, take off the rind, and boil the squash in salt and water till tender—then drain off the water, and let the pumpkin steam over a moderate fire for ten or twelve minutes. It is good not mashed—if mashed, add a little butter.

104. Cabbage and Cauliflowers.

Trim off the loose leaves of the cabbage, cut the stalky in quarters, to the heart of the cabbage—boil it an hour. If not boiled with corned beef, put a little salt in the water in which they are boiled. White cauliflowers are the best. Take off the outside leaves, cut the stalk close to the leaves, let them lie in salt and cold water for half an hour before boiling them—boil them fifteen or twenty minutes, according to their size. Milk and water is the best to boil them in, but clear water does very well. Put a little salt in the pot in which they are boiled.

105. Asparagus.

Cut the white part of the stalks off, and throw it away—cut the lower part of the stalks in thin slices if tough, and boil them eight or ten minutes before the upper part is put in. Lay the remainder compactly together, tie it carefully in small bundles, and boil it from fifteen to twenty minutes, according to its age. Boil a little salt with them, and a quarter of a tea spoonful of saleratus, to two or three quarts of water, to preserve their fresh green color. Just before your asparagus is done, toast a slice of bread, moisten it with a little of the asparagus liquor, lay it in your asparagus dish, and butter it—then take up the asparagus carefully with a skimmer, and lay it on the toast, take off the string, salt it, and turn a little melted butter over the whole.

[43]
106. Peas.

Peas should be put into boiling water, with salt and saleratus, in the proportion of a quarter of a tea spoonful of saleratus to half a peck of peas. Boil them from fifteen to thirty minutes, according to their age and kind. When boiled tender, take them out of the water with a skimmer, salt and butter them to the taste. Peas to be good should be fresh gathered, and not shelled till just before they are cooked.

107. Sweet Corn.

Corn is much sweeter to be boiled on the cob. If made into sucatosh, cut it from the cobs, and boil it with Lima beans, and a few slices of salt pork. It requires boiling from fifteen to thirty minutes, according to its age.

108. To cook various kinds of Beans.

French beans should have the strings taken off—if old, the edges should be cut off, and the beans cut through the middle. Boil them with a little salt, from twenty-five to forty minutes, according to their age. A little saleratus boiled with them preserves their green color, and makes them more healthy. Salt and butter them when taken up. Lima beans can be kept the year round, by being perfectly dried when fresh gathered in the pods, or being put without drying into a keg, with a layer of salt to each layer of beans, having a layer of salt at the bottom of the keg. Cover them tight, and keep them in a cool place. Whenever you wish to cook them, soak them over night, in cold water—shell and boil them, with a little saleratus. White beans for baking, should be picked over carefully to get out the colored and bad ones. Wash and soak them over night in a pot, set where they will keep lukewarm. There should be about three quarts of water to three pints of the beans. The next morning set them where they will boil, with a tea spoonful of saleratus. When they have boiled four or five minutes, take them up with a skimmer. Put them in a baking pot. Gash a pound of pork, and put it down in the pot, so as to have the beans cover all but the upper surface—turn in cold water till you can just see[44] it at the top. They will bake in a hot oven, in the course of three hours—but they are better to remain in it five or six hours. Beans are good prepared in the same manner as for baking, and stewed several hours without baking.

109. Greens.

White mustard, spinach, water cresses, dandelions, and the leaves and roots of very small beets, are the best greens. Boil them with a little salt and saleratus in the water. If not fresh and plump, soak them in salt and water half an hour before cooking them. When they are boiled enough, they will sink to the bottom of the pot.

110. Salads.

To be in perfection, salads should be fresh gathered, and kept in cold water for an hour before they are put on the table. The water should be drained from them, and if you have not any salad oil, melt a little butter and put it in a separate dish—if turned over the salad, it will not be crispy.

111. Cucumbers.

To be healthy they should not be picked longer than a day before they are to be eaten. They should be kept in cold water, and fifteen or twenty minutes before they are to be eaten, pare and slice them into fresh cold water, to take out the slimy matter. Just before they are put on the table, drain off the water. Put them in a deep dish; sprinkle on a good deal of salt and pepper—cover them with vinegar. Cucumbers are thought by many people to be very unhealthy, but if properly prepared, they will not be found to be any more unwholesome than most other summer vegetables.

112. To stew Mushrooms.

Cut off the lower part of the stem, as it is apt to have an earthy taste. Peel and put them in a saucepan, with just water enough at the bottom, to prevent their burning to the pan. Put in a little salt, and shake them occasionally while stewing, to prevent their burning. When they have stewed quite tender, put in a little butter and pepper—add spices and wine[45] if you like. They should stew very slowly till tender, and not be seasoned till just before they are taken up. Serve them up on buttered toast.

113. Egg Plant.

Boil them a few moments to extract the bitter taste—then cut them in thick slices; sprinkle a little salt between each slice. Let them lie half an hour—then fry them till brown in lard.

114. Celeriac.

This is an excellent vegetable, but is little known. The stalks of it can hardly be distinguished from celery, and it is much easier cultivated. The roots are nice boiled tender, cut in thin slices, and put in soup or meat pies; or cooked in the following manner, and eaten with meat. Scrape and cut them in slices. Boil them till very tender—then drain off the water. Sprinkle a little salt over them—turn in milk enough to cover them. When they have stewed about four or five minutes, turn them into a dish, and add a little butter.

115. Salsify or Vegetable Oyster.

The best way to cook it is to parboil it, (after scraping off the outside,) then cut it in slices, dip it into a beaten egg, and fine bread crumbs, and fry it in lard. It is very good boiled, then stewed a few minutes in milk, with a little butter and salt. Another way which is very good, is to make a batter of wheat flour, milk and eggs; cut the Salsify in thin slices, (after having been boiled tender,) put them into the batter with a little salt; drop this mixture into hot fat, by the large spoonful. When a light brown, they are cooked sufficiently.

116. Tomatoes.

If very ripe will skin easily; if not, pour scalding water on them, and let them remain in it four or five minutes. Peel and put them in a stew pan, with a table spoonful of water, if not very juicy; if so, no water will be required. Put in a little salt, and stew them for half an hour; then turn them into a deep dish with buttered toast. Another way of cooking them, which is considered very nice by epicures, is to put[46] them in a deep dish, with fine bread crumbs, crackers pounded fine, a layer of each alternately; put small bits of butter, a little salt, and pepper on each layer—some cooks add a little nutmeg and sugar. Have a layer of bread crumbs on the top. Bake it three quarters of an hour.

117. Gumbo.

Take an equal quantity of young tender ocra chopped fine, and ripe tomatoes skinned, an onion cut into slices, a small lump of butter, a little salt and pepper. Put the whole in a stew pan, with a table spoonful of water, and stew it till tender.

118. Southern manner of Boiling Rice.

Pick over the rice, rinse it in cold water a number of times, to get it perfectly clean; drain off the water, then put it in a pot of boiling water, with a little salt. Allow as much as a quart of water to a tea-cup of rice, as it absorbs the water very much while boiling. Boil it seventeen minutes; then turn the water off very close; set the pot over a few coals, and let it steam fifteen minutes with the lid of the pot off. The beauty of rice boiled in this way, is, that each kernel stands out by itself, while it is quite tender. Great care is necessary to be used in the time of boiling and steaming it, as a few moments variation in the time, makes a great deal of difference in the looks of it. The water should boil hard when the rice is put in, and not suffered to stop boiling, till turned off to have the rice steamed. The water that the rice is boiled in, makes good starch for muslin, if boiled a few minutes by itself.

Happy New Year

2011-01-01T03:39:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! Be sure you don't do any laundry or wash dishes today. Eat your black-eyed peas, hog jowl and collard greens! Don't...well, okay, we all have our own customs. I thought you'd enjoy reading these...
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New Year's Day customs say that “a good beginning makes a good ending,” that as the first day is so will the rest be. If you would have plenty to eat during the year, dine lavishly on New Year's Day, if you would be rich see that your pockets are not empty at this critical season.
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Take care that no one enters a house empty-handed on New Year's Day. A visitor must bring in his hand some eatable.
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Everybody should wear a new dress on New Year's Day, and if its pockets contain money of every description they will be certain not to be empty throughout the year.
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If luck is to rest on a house the “first-foot” must not be a woman. To provide against such an unlucky accident as that a woman should call first, people often engage a friendly man or boy to pay them an early visit.
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It is supposed that the wind which prevails on the first twelve days of the year will blow during each of the twelve months, the first day corresponding to January, the second to February, and so on.
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Christmas in the Hollow

2010-12-25T07:46:00.000-08:00

First and foremost, Merry Christmas! I hope you are all having a wonderful Christmas! If you've followed my blog over the last couple of years you know that our tradition was always a Christmas breakfast rather than a Christmas dinner. That holds true today as I have breakfast just about done this morning. And, it's a white Christmas in the hollow! Snow is supposed to continue this morning and it is beautiful out there. The best part is the roads look fine.
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I always try to do something at Christmas to remember my parents. Sometimes it's something small and sometimes something big. This year I spent most of December doing little a little 'secret' giving in their memory. I know they would have liked that. Eating Christmas Eve dinner out this year was a special treat I had looked forward to for a couple of weeks. I had already decided that our waitress would receive an extra large tip as a Christmas thank you. You see, Mom was a waitress for years. In fact, that is how she and Daddy met. I know from watching her that the job is hard and often thankless. In hard times, tips are often cut. We chose a local steakhouse and I have to say the meal was wonderful. My steak was tender and finally cooked perfectly. I'm not picky as I'll eat it any place from rare to well-done - just as long as they don't walk it to the table. But, it was nice to have the cook actually know what 'medium' meant. The restaurant had a beautiful Christmas tree and several families were also having their Christmas Eve dinner there as well.
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What made the dinner extra special? Having never been there before, I was surprised when the waitress greeted us as if we were long lost friends that had just stopped in for Christmas. She was not overly cheerful, but warm and friendly. But, I teared up when I saw her name. It was the same as Mom's. A random choice of where to eat led us to her. It made giving the 'extra' tip all the more special and brought me a little closer to the memory of my parents.
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Wishing you a Merry and Blessed Christmas!

Traveling Dentists

2010-12-19T23:17:00.000-08:00

I made a much overdue visit to my dentist's office the other day. It's amazing the things that go through my mind while my teeth are being cleaned. I was thinking about Christmas and all the things I have left to do before Dec 25th - mentally making lists and checking them twice! I have no dental phobias and usually have no real problems. Given the fact that seeing someone in dental scrubs would send Mom into a panic, I wonder why I didn't develop the same problem with dental uniforms.

Visits to the dentist were not something we could afford back in the hollow. In fact, my first visit was at sixteen! And, it was to a 'traveling dentist' that did not maintain a regular office in town. Even so, it wasn't a bad experience. Though, I was determined to hang on to my wisdom teeth for as long as possible. The experience of having two removed on one side definitely had me dragging my feet on the other two. As I grew older, I began to appreciate the importance of good dental care. These days we know that gum issues can lead to visits with someone in nursing uniforms. And, none of us want that! They always ask me if I floss. I always say 'yes' just last night. I think if we all took care of our teeth as if we were visiting the dentist tomorrow, we'd have fewer issues. So, tonight while your checking your list, add flossing to it!

The Night Before Thanksgiving

2010-11-23T04:53:00.000-08:00

I was thinking about a post for Thanksgiving, and ran across this short story. I thought you'd enjoy it. In the chaos that will follow in a few days, take a quiet moment, take a deep breath, and remember there's a lot for which we can be thankful. Have a blessed day!

THE NIGHT BEFORE THANKSGIVING.
BY SARAH ORNE JEWETT, 1899

I.
There was a sad heart in the low-storied, dark little house that stood humbly by the roadside under some tall elms. Small as her house was, old Mrs. Robb found it too large for herself alone; she only needed the kitchen and a tiny bedroom that led out of it, and there still remained the best room and a bedroom, with the low garret overhead.

There had been a time, after she was left alone, when Mrs. Robb could help those who were poorer than herself. She was strong enough not only to do a woman's work inside her house, but almost a man's work outside in her piece of garden ground. At last sickness and age had come hand in hand, those two relentless enemies of the poor, and together they had wasted her strength and substance. She had always been looked up to by her neighbors as being independent, but now she was left, lame-footed and lame-handed, with a debt to carry and her bare land, and the house ill-provisioned to stand the siege of time.

For a while she managed to get on, but at last it began to be whispered about that there was no use for any one so proud; it was easier for the whole town to care for her than for a few neighbors, and Mrs. Robb had better go to the poorhouse before winter, and be done with it. At this terrible suggestion her brave heart seemed to stand still. The people whom she cared for most happened to be poor, and she could no longer go into their households to make herself of use. The very elms overhead seemed to say, "Oh, no!" as they groaned in the late autumn winds, and there was something appealing even to the strange passer-by in the look of the little gray house, with Mrs. Robb's pale, worried face at the window.

II.
Some one has said that anniversaries are days to make other people happy in, but sometimes when they come they seem to be full of shadows, and the power of giving joy to others, that inalienable right which ought to lighten the saddest heart, the most indifferent sympathy, sometimes even this seems to be withdrawn.

So poor old Mary Ann Robb sat at her window on the afternoon before Thanksgiving and felt herself poor and sorrowful indeed. Across the frozen road she looked eastward over a great stretch of cold meadow land, brown and wind-swept and crossed by icy ditches. It seemed to her as if before this, in all the troubles that she had known and carried, there had always been some hope to hold: as if she had never looked poverty full in the face and seen its cold and pitiless look before. She looked anxiously down the road, with a horrible shrinking and dread at the thought of being asked, out of pity, to join in some Thanksgiving feast, but there was nobody coming with gifts in hand. Once she had been full of love for such days, whether at home or abroad, but something chilled her very heart now.

Her nearest neighbor had been foremost of those who wished her to go to the town farm, and he had said more than once that it was the only sensible thing. But John Mander was waiting impatiently to get her tiny farm into his own hands; he had advanced some money upon it in her extremity, and pretended that there was still a debt, after he cleared her wood lot to pay himself back. He would plough over the graves in the field corner and fell the great elms, and waited now like a spider for his poor prey. He often reproached her for being too generous to worthless people in the past and coming to be a charge to others now. Oh, if she could only die in her own house and not suffer the pain of homelessness and dependence!

It was just at sunset, and as she looked out hopelessly across the gray fields, there was a sudden gleam of light far away on the low hills beyond; the clouds opened in the west and let the sunshine through. One lovely gleam shot swift as an arrow and brightened a far cold hillside where it fell, and at the same moment a sudden gleam of hope brightened the winter landscape of her heart.

"There was Johnny Harris," said Mary Ann Robb softly. "He was a soldier's son, left an orphan and distressed. Old John Mander scolded, but I could n't see the poor boy in want. I kept him that year after he got hurt, spite o' what anybody said, an' he helped me what little he could. He said I was the only mother he 'd ever had. 'I 'm goin' out West, Mother Robb,' says he. 'I sha'n't come back till I get rich,' an' then he 'd look at me an' laugh, so pleasant and boyish. He wa'n't one that liked to write. I don't think he was doin' very well when I heard,—there, it's most four years ago now. I always thought if he got sick or anything, I should have a good home for him to come to. There 's poor Ezra Blake, the deaf one, too,—he won't have any place to welcome him."

The light faded out of doors, and again Mrs. Robb's troubles stood before her. Yet it was not so dark as it had been in her sad heart. She still sat by the window, hoping now, in spite of herself, instead of fearing; and a curious feeling of nearness and expectancy made her feel not so much light-hearted as light-headed.

"I feel just as if somethin' was goin' to happen," she said. "Poor
Johnny Harris, perhaps he's thinkin' o' me, if he's alive."

It was dark now out of doors, and there were tiny clicks against the window. It was beginning to snow, and the great elms creaked in the rising wind overhead.

III.
A dead limb of one of the old trees had fallen that autumn, and, poor firewood as it might be, it was Mrs. Robb's own, and she had burnt it most thankfully. There was only a small armful left, but at least she could have the luxury of a fire. She had a feeling that it was her last night at home, and with strange recklessness began to fill the stove as she used to do in better days.

"It 'll get me good an' warm," she said, still talking to herself, as lonely people do, "an' I 'll go to bed early. It's comin' on to storm."

The snow clicked faster and faster against the window, and she sat alone thinking in the dark.

"There 's lots of folks I love," she said once. "They 'd be sorry I ain't got nobody to come, an' no supper the night afore Thanksgivin'. I 'm dreadful glad they don't know." And she drew a little nearer to the fire, and laid her head back drowsily in the old rocking-chair.

It seemed only a moment before there was a loud knocking, and somebody lifted the latch of the door. The fire shone bright through the front of the stove and made a little light in the room, but Mary Ann Robb waked up frightened and bewildered.

"Who 's there?" she called, as she found her crutch and went to the door. She was only conscious of her one great fear. "They 've come to take me to the poor-house!" she said, and burst into tears.

There was a tall man, not John Mander, who seemed to fill the narrow doorway.

"Come, let me in!" he said gayly. "It's a cold night. You did n't expect me, did you, Mother Robb?"

"Dear me, what is it?" she faltered, stepping back as he came in, and dropping her crutch. "Be I dreamin'? I was a-dreamin' about— Oh, there! What was I a-sayin'? 'T ain't true! No! I've made some kind of a mistake."

Yes, and this was the man who kept the poorhouse, and she would go without complaint; they might have given her notice, but she must not fret.

"Sit down, sir," she said, turning toward him with touching patience. "You 'll have to give me a little time. If I 'd been notified I would n't have kept you waiting a minute this stormy night."

It was not the keeper of the poorhouse. The man by the door took one step forward and put his arm round her and kissed her.

"What are you talking about?" said John Harris. "You ain't goin' to make me feel like a stranger? I 've come all the way from Dakota to spend Thanksgivin'. There's all sorts o' things out here in the wagon, an' a man to help get 'em in. Why, don't cry so, Mother Robb. I thought you 'd have a great laugh, if I come and surprised you. Don't you remember I always said I should come?"

It was John Harris, indeed. The poor soul could say nothing. She felt now as if her heart was going to break with joy. He left her in the rocking-chair and came and went in his old boyish way, bringing in the store of gifts and provisions. It was better than any dream. He laughed and talked, and went out to send away the man to bring a wagonful of wood from John Mander's, and came in himself laden with pieces of the nearest fence to keep the fire going in the mean time. They must cook the beef-steak for supper right away; they must find the pound of tea among all the other bundles; they must get good fires started in both the cold bedrooms. Why, Mother Robb did n't seem to be ready for company from out West! The great, cheerful fellow hurried about the tiny house, and the little old woman limped after him, forgetting everything but hospitality. Had not she a house for John to come to? Were not her old chairs and tables in their places still? And he remembered everything, and kissed her as they stood before the fire, as if she were a girl.

He had found plenty of hard times, but luck had come at last. He had struck luck, and this was the end of a great year.

"No, I could n't seem to write letters; no use to complain o' the worst, an' I wanted to tell you the best when I came;" and he told it while she cooked the supper. "No, I wa'n't goin' to write no foolish letters," John repeated. He was afraid he should cry himself when he found out how bad things had been; and they sat down to supper together, just as they used to do when he was a homeless orphan boy, whom nobody else wanted in winter weather while he was crippled and could not work. She could not be kinder now than she was then, but she looked so poor and old! He saw her taste her cup of tea and set it down again with a trembling hand and a look at him. "No, I wanted to come myself," he blustered, wiping his eyes and trying to laugh. "And you 're going to have everything you need to make you comfortable long's you live, Mother Robb!"

She looked at him again and nodded, but she did not even try to speak. There was a good hot supper ready, and a happy guest had come; it was the night before Thanksgiving.

Veteran's Day

2010-11-11T03:15:00.000-08:00

I found this recently and thought it would be appropriate for Veteran's Day. Hope you enjoy it and pass it along.

GOD SAVE THE FLAG

WASHED in the blood of the brave and the blooming,
Snatched from the altars of insolent foes,
Burning with star-fires, but never consuming,
Flash its broad ribbons of lily and rose.

Vainly the prophets of Baal would rend it,
Vainly his worshippers pray for its fall;
Thousands have died for it, millions defend it,
Emblem of justice and mercy to all:

Justice that reddens the sky with her terrors,
Mercy that comes with her white-handed train,
Soothing all passions, redeeming all errors,
'Sheathing the sabre and breaking the chain.

Borne on the deluge of old usurpations,
Drifted our Ark o'er the desolate seas,
Bearing the rainbow of hope to the nations,
Torn from the storm-cloud and flung to the breeze!

God bless the Flag and its loyal defenders,
While its broad folds o'er the battle-field wave,
Till the dim star-wreath rekindle its splendors,
Washed from its stains in the blood of the brave!

Oliver Wendell Holmes - 1865.

Double, Double, Toil and Trouble

2010-10-31T03:33:00.000-07:00

Do you remember this scene from Macbeth? Happy Halloween!!!

FIRST WITCH. Thrice the brinded cat hath mew'd.

SECOND WITCH. Thrice and once the hedge-pig whined.

THIRD WITCH. Harpier cries, "'Tis time, 'tis time."

FIRST WITCH. Round about the cauldron go;
In the poison'd entrails throw.
Toad, that under cold stone
Days and nights has thirty-one
Swelter'd venom sleeping got,
Boil thou first i' the charmed pot.

ALL. Double, double, toil and trouble;
Fire burn and cauldron bubble.

SECOND WITCH. Fillet of a fenny snake,
In the cauldron boil and bake;
Eye of newt and toe of frog,
Wool of bat and tongue of dog,
Adder's fork and blind-worm's sting,
Lizard's leg and howlet's wing,
For a charm of powerful trouble,
Like a hell-broth boil and bubble.

ALL. Double, double, toil and trouble;
Fire burn and cauldron bubble.

THIRD WITCH. Scale of dragon, tooth of wolf,
Witch's mummy, maw and gulf
Of the ravin'd salt-sea shark,
Root of hemlock digg'd i' the dark,
Liver of blaspheming Jew,
Gall of goat and slips of yew
Sliver'd in the moon's eclipse,
Nose of Turk and Tartar's lips,
Finger of birth-strangled babe
Ditch-deliver'd by a drab,
Make the gruel thick and slab.
Add thereto a tiger's chawdron,
For the ingredients of our cawdron.

ALL. Double, double, toil and trouble;
Fire burn and cauldron bubble.

SECOND WITCH. Cool it with a baboon's blood,
Then the charm is firm and good.

2010-10-17T20:18:00.000-07:00

Halloween in the hollow often meant homemade treats and apples. One neighbor even made fudge! That was always my favorite stop. In the tradition of homemade Halloween treats, here's a receipe to try this year.

Halloween ‘Boo’ Bags
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Ingredients for the bars
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10 oz bag of large marshmallows
3 Tablespoons butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla flavoring
3 cups Trix cereal
1 cup Cheerios
1 cup pecans, chopped
1 cup dried cranberries
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Butter an 8x8 pan and set aside. Combine Trix, Cheerios, pecans and cranberries in bowl and set aside. In a heavy sauce pan, over low heat, melt butter. Add marshmallows and stir until melted and blended with butter. Add cinnamon and vanilla. Stir well. Add cereal mixture. Pour into 8x8 pan. Smooth down top with the back of a buttered spoon on spatula. Allow to cool at room temperature.

When mixture is cooled, cut into 9 equal size bars. The bars will still be a little soft, so you can mold them, if needed, so they will stand up right. Place bars in the freezer for ten minutes.
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Ingredients for decorating the bars
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16 oz almond bark
Writing icing
Candy corn for decorating
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While bars are chilling, melt almond bark according to package directions. Remove bars from freezer. Dip each bar in the chocolate, leaving about half an inch uncovered, and stand upright on wax paper. Once chocolate is hardened, apply the handles. Coat the inside first inch of each licorice stick with the melted chocolate. Apply each end to the side of a bag and hold in place until the chocolate hardens, about 20 to 30 seconds. You can reinforce the handle by adding a little melted chocolate around the seams.
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To make signs for your bags, put wax paper on a cutting board. Spread a thin layer of melted chocolate on wax paper. Make the area large enough to write all of the words you want on your bag. With writing icing, spell out the words you want, like RIP or Boo. You can even use names if you want. Leave enough room between each word to cut out signs. With a sharp knife, cut around your words. Lift the wax paper and remove each sign. Put a little melted chocolate on the back of the sign and place it on the front of the treat bag. The chocolate will harden and hold the sign in place.
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Store in air tight container overnight. If you are not serving the bags the next day, refrigerate them until ready to serve.

Top Chef Just Desserts

2010-10-04T22:04:00.000-07:00

Have you ever noticed how easy it is to lose time? I'll start out searching for recipes and end up looking over a website for San Francisco wedding caterers. The funny part is that I usually find something useful and always something interesting.

Have you been watching Top Chef Just Desserts on Bravo this season? I love this show! There's a yummy pastry chef (Yigit Pura) on the show that works for a wedding caterer. I've often thought about what fun it would be to cook professionally. I have to admit, these guys are under a lot of pressure, but they sure do make it look easy! Competing on the show must be stressful, but I don't think it could compare to a wedding. It's that once in a lifetime event for the bride and groom and you definitely want the right wedding caterers. It has to be more than just making a living, there has to be a true 'calling' to that line of work. At the end of the day they must take a great deal of pride in a job wedding well done.

The Mothman Prophicies???

2010-09-26T17:45:00.000-07:00

I found some unusual looking moths waiting for dusk one evening. While most are small, these were quite large. Hope you enjoy the pictures. Have a blessed day!

Efficient Lawn Care

2010-09-16T17:42:00.000-07:00

They’ve finished the apples and moved on to grass. If these little guys keep munching, I won’t need to mow grass for quite a while! Have a blessed day.

Last Days of Summer

2010-09-06T17:39:00.001-07:00

The last days of Summer are upon us. School has started again and Fall is just around the corner. It’s been a hot one here in Tennessee. So, these last few days of cooler weather are a blessing. I don’t think I could have picked better weather for this Labor Day weekend.

Still, the signs of Fall are slowly creeping in. This morning there was just a hint of smoke in the air from a nearby tobacco barn. And, this afternoon a friend and I listened to the breeze rustling through a field of dried corn stalks while enjoying ice cream in the shade of a nearby tree. It won’t be too many more weeks before the mornings start with that crisp air and the first hints of frost. I have to say that while this summer has been hot, it sure beats the gloomy days of the past Winter. But, Fall is still my favorite time of year and will welcome it this year.

Have a blessed day!

FRIED CORN

2 cups fresh corn (cut from cob)

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 tablespoon bacon drippings

1/2 cup water

Take a small bowl and place it upside down in a larger bowl. Hold the corn cob on the smaller bowl. Slice 1/2 off top of the kernels. Then scrape off the rest, scraping down to the cob. The bowl will catch all the corn bits. In large skillet heat bacon drippings over medium high heat. Add corn and water and reduce heat to low. Cook until thick and then season with salt and pepper.

Toss in the Trash or Cool Glasses?

2010-08-01T01:18:00.000-07:00

How many glass jars do you throw away each week? Ok, so maybe you rinse them and throw them in the recycling bin. But, what if you could reuse them instead?

If you grew up poor, you know all about ‘jelly’ glasses. Jelly used to come in jars that could be used for glasses when empty. You had small glasses suitable for breakfast juice or tall glasses perfect for iced tea. It was a great marketing idea that swayed you toward a product with double duty. Of course, this was before plastic.

Still, today there are lots of ‘glass’ jars and ‘plastic’ jars that can be reused. The above picture may look like a normal mason jar holding pink lemonade. In reality, it’s a reused pasta sauce jar. I was very excited to purchase this particular product because the jar itself was labeled Atlas Mason and I thought it could be reused in canning. However, when I tried a regular canning ring on it, I discovered the mouth of the jar is just a little smaller than a normal mason jar. But, it still makes for a perfect drinking glass.

Even plastic jars can be reused to store small parts, seasonings, or anything you imagine. Check out one of my earlier posts for more ways to reuse jars.

The next time you’re looking over products to purchase, consider the packaging. Where will it end up? In the trash or can you reuse it? Some jars are decorative and make pretty vases for flowers or gifts. I’ve got a couple of instant coffee jars that I use to store popcorn. And, yes, we ate popcorn long before the invention of the microwave. But, that’s a post for another day!

Country Deer & Crab Apple Jelly

2010-07-25T13:01:00.001-07:00

I never get tired of the view from my windows. I spotted this Momma deer and her little one munching on crab apples. I hope they leave me some for jelly!

Crab Apple Jelly

Set out a large, heavy sauce pot, six 8-oz. jelly glasses and a jelly bag. You can make a jelly bag by cutting a double thickness of cheesecloth about 36 in. long and fold it in half. Dip the cloth into hot water and wring well. Put a large strainer or colander over a bowl and lay the cloth in the strainer or colander.

Rinse, remove stem ends and cut into quarters enough crab apples to make 3 quarts chopped. Do not remove cores or peel. Add to pot with 3 cups water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until tender. Remove mixture and strain through jelly bag.

Wash and sterilize jelly glasses. (see below) When juice has strained through jelly bag, melt over simmering water about 1/4 lb. paraffin. Measure 4 cups of juice into the sauce pot. Put sauce pot water over high heat and heat until very hot. Add 3 cups sugar. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Continue cooking rapidly until sirup responds to jelly test (see below). Remove from heat and skim off any foam. Immediately fill the drained jelly glasses and cover with paraffin. (see below)

Jelly Test – Dip spoon into boiling liquid; lift it out and tip it to allow mixture to run over edge. At first, the sirup will run off in a thin stream. When the last two drops in the spoon run together or ‘sheet’ the mixture should be removed from the heat. Always remove the pan from the heat while testing.

Sterilize Jars or Glasses – Put a rack or folded dish towel onto bottom of large sauce pot or kettle. Place clean jars or glasses on the rack or towel. Pour boiling water over them and boil 15 minutes, keeping jars or glasses covered with water at all times; if more water is needed, add boiling water. Drain jars or glasses – using long-handled tongs, carefully remove one jar or glass at a time and thoroughly drain. Set right side up on coiling rack away from drafts.

Seal with Paraffin – Immediately after draining glasses, pour the mixture to within 1/2 in of top. With a clean, damp cloth or paper towel, remove any particles of food that may be on the inside of glass above surface of mixture. Immediately pour enough melted paraffin onto the top of mixture to make a layer about 1/.8 in. thick on each glass. When paraffin has cooled completely, pour enough melted paraffin over the first layer to make another layer about 1/8 in thick. Carefully tilt glasses to distribute paraffin evenly over the top and seal it to edges of the glass. Cool glasses away from drafts. Label and cover glasses; store in a cool, dry place.

Tasty Treats

2010-07-13T21:10:00.000-07:00

Mom spent several years away from the hollow. During these years she worked as a waitress/server in some upscale restaurants. She could pile plates three and four deep on one arm! And, she brought home lots of simple appetizer ideas. One of her favorites was a pineapple ring on a lettuce leaf. She would pile up cottage cheese in the center. As a child I thought this was her invention. Years later I found it on the menu at an old-fashioned steak house. In fact, their 'starters' sounded a lot like what Mom served us back in the hollow. Sometimes the simplest ideas are the best. I hope you enjoy these vintage recipes.
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Olive Teasers
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Coat large stuffed olives with softened cream cheese. Roll in finely chopped nuts. Chill in refrigerator. Insert toothpicks before serving.
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Stuff Celery Spears
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Blend together softened cream cheese and milk. Mix in a few grains celery salt, few drops Worcestershire sauce and very finely chopped radish and green pepper or pimiento and parsley. Stuff cleaned celery with the cheese mixture.
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Smoked Cheese Blossoms
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Soften smoked cheese and mix with chopped pimiento, sweet pickle and crisp crumbled bacon. Roll into small balls and chill in refrigerator. Insert toothpicks before serving.
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Bacon-Wrapped Olives
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Wrap pimiento or almond-stuffed olives in pieces of bacon. Fasten with picks. Put in shallow baking dish. Bake or broil until bacon is done. (Tip: soak toothpicks in water for 15 minutes before using to keep from burning)

Vintage Treasures from Sunflower Sue

2010-07-09T20:06:00.000-07:00

Sunflower Sue sent me this great collection of vintage cook booklets and recipe clippings. Some date back to the 1970’s. So, did you ever think you’d consider the 1970’s as vintage? Maybe I should say retro! I’m going through these and will be posting some new recipes soon. Here’s one that sounds too interesting not to try.

Coffee Coconut Squares

Trim crust from slice of bread. Cut slice into four squares. Place two squares on top of each other and brush entire piece with mixture of sweetened condensed milk mixed with 1 tsp. of instant coffee. Roll squares in shredded coconut. Toast in oven. Garnish with pecan half.

Taking a Step Back

2010-07-02T20:11:00.001-07:00

Summer is definitely the time for travel. Most of our trips out of the hollow involved visiting relatives rather than tourist destinations. Whether you are headed ‘down home’ or to the beach, you learn a lot about small towns along the way. Paducah is, and always will be, a river town. It’s hard to escape the mark made by the Ohio River in this town’s history. Even if you could, the giant wall keeping downtown safe is a constant reminder of what was and what could be again. Ravaged by floods in the past, the citizens of Paducah built a wall along the river as it winds through downtown.

The wall stands waiting for the next deluge and it’s duty to protect Paducah from rising water.

Driving through it gives you a sense of Jurassic Park. But, in this instance, the raging monster is the Ohio River.

The streets of downtown travel along the wall protected from the River. Driving through it brings you right to the edge of the river, a waterside park and up close views of river traffic.

The wall itself is decorated with murals that depict Paducah’s rich history. Each mural is different. Some are so realistic that you feel like you could step right into the scene and become part of history itself.

This one depicts scenes from one of the great floods in the 1930’s that devastated the town.

This one depicts clippings from the town newspaper. They are so realistic that it seems as if you are looking at a scrapbook.

Take a step back and you can tell it’s part of the wall.

Paducah has taken the time to revitalized its downtown. Its flat streets make for an easy walking tour of the area. Museums and shops are plentiful. It’s a downtown definitely worth visiting again. A driving tour of the area also lets you enjoy the rich history as seen in the many historic houses along tree lined streets. Every once in a while something different pops up that reminds you of the past.

When it does, you appreciate a town that has taken the time to preserve its history. I hope you enjoyed the pictures. To learn more about Paducah, visit paducahky.gov.

Little Things

2010-06-30T05:44:00.000-07:00

Growing up in the hollow, we always had a bottle of Hot Sauce on the kitchen table. Momma and Daddy both would use it on just about everything. We didn't have a lot of 'store bought' dressings. Mom would always make her own cocktail sauce or salad dressing. And, she would always add a dash or two of Hot Pepper Sauce. She said it gave the dressing just the right 'kick'.

Our tastes change a lot as we grow older. As a child, I didn't have much of a taste for it, but I've grown to appreciate the different flavors of Hot Sauces. Have you ever tried a southern appetizer of bologna and crackers? Daddy loved to top it with a drop of hot sauce. We'd share a cracker or two while Momma was finishing up supper. To this day I can't see that without thinking of him. Isn't it wonderful when we have good memories? Often it's the little ones that stand out. We live day to day and take life for granted while reaching for the next big thing. When really, it's all the little things you do along the way.

Have a blessed day!

A Dog's Purpose

2010-06-20T09:38:00.000-07:00

A friend recently sent me this in an e-mail and I just had to share it with everyone.

A Dog's Purpose? (From a 6-year-old).

Being a veterinarian, I had been called to examine a ten-year-old Irish Wolfhound named Belker. The dog's owners, Ron, his wife Lisa, and their little boy Shane, were all very attached to Belker, and they were hoping for a miracle.

I examined Belker and found he was dying of cancer. I told the family we couldn't do anything for Belker, and offered to perform the euthanasia procedure for the old dog in their home.

As we made arrangements, Ron and Lisa told me they thought it would be good for six-year-old
Shane to observe the procedure. They felt as though Shane might learn something from the experience.

The next day, I felt the familiar catch in my throat as Belker’s family surrounded him. Shane seemed
so calm, petting the old dog for the last time, that I wondered if he understood what was going on. Within a few minutes, Belker slipped peacefully away.

The little boy seemed to accept Belker's transition without any difficulty or confusion. We sat together for a while after Belker's Death, wondering aloud about the sad fact that animal lives are shorter than human lives.
Shane , who had been listening quietly, piped up, ''I know why.''

Startled, we all turned to him. What came out of his mouth next stunned me. I'd never heard a more comforting explanation. It has changed the way I try to live.

He said,’ People are born so that they can learn how to live a good life -- like loving everybody all the time and being nice, right?''
The Six-year-old continued,’ Well, dogs already know how to do that, so they don't have to stay as long.''

Live simply.
Love generously.
Care deeply.
Speak kindly.
Remember, if a dog was the teacher you would learn things like:

When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.
Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.
Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure Ecstasy.
Take naps now and then.
Stretch before rising.
Run, romp, and play daily.
Thrive on attention and let people touch you.
Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.
On warm days, stop to lie on your back on the grass.
On hot days, drink lots of water and lie under a shady tree.
Be loyal.
Never pretend to be something you're not.
If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it.
When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by, and nuzzle them gently.

ENJOY EVERY MOMENT OF EVERY DAY!

The Dancing Bear Lodge

2010-06-03T15:44:00.000-07:00

I recently went on a trip to the Dancing Bear Lodge in Townsend, TN. I went with my mother, and my step-father for Easter. Living in Mississippi it wasn't too far a drive. We departed from our house after activating our adt security in mississippi and arrived around 11:45AM while our reservation was at noon. Since we had a few minutes to kill we decided to take some pictures of the surrounding scenery which was quite breathtaking. The Dancing Bear Lodge is right at the base of the Great Smokey Mountains. Near the Dancing Bear Lodge there are many small shops run by locals where you can usually find a good deal on a unique gift. When the time on f or our reservation arrived we entered the restaurant. The Dancing Bear Lodge is uniquely decorated. Its one of a kind decor makes you feel like your enjoying a home cooked meal in a log cabin. For their Easter brunch, the Dancing Bear Lodge started with an appitizer dish of assorted artisan breads followed by fresh fruit. They served your choice of two different main dishes, steak and eggs, and salmon. The Dancing Bear Lodge is a great place for a holiday meal or a family get-together.

This post by my cousin Shana Sable.

Scraps of Wisdom

2010-05-20T03:28:00.000-07:00

I love the old cookbooks that have been handed down to me, but that probably comes as no surprise to you since I talk of them often. The pages are worn and little notes about recipe adjustments are in the margins. Those are the little additions that make the recipe a family tradition. And, they are often the little things that are lost to family history. Take time today to tweak some of those notes in your cookbooks for future generations.

These are some vintage tips clipped from newspapers and glued into my Grandmother’s cookbook. I thought you’d enjoy them.

Seventeen is the age when the picnic isn’t a picnic without a cake. Bake plain layer cake batter in a shallow loaf pan. Cut thin slices of jelly and cover the top; then pile on boiled frosting and sprinkle the top with shredded coconut.

Quick cupcake frosting – mix six ounce package semi-sweet chocolate pieces and 1 tablespoon margarine. Melt over hot water. Drop by tablespoon onto cupcakes and spread quickly.

Substitute flour for part of the confectioner’s sugar in butter frosting. The frosting is smoother and has less sugar.

A quick and easy way of frosting a cake is to put a plain chocolate candy bar (or one with nuts) on cake while still hot from oven. The bar of candy will melt and the result will be a smooth and delicious frosting.

When you want a quick frosting, add one cup of tart jelly to an egg white and beat until stiff.

For a quick topping for loaf cake – cut a few marshmallows into small pieces, combine with 1/4 cup brown sugar and a dash of cinnamon. Spread on top of batter and bake as usual.

When making potato salad, cube or slice the potatoes and let them stand all night in a solution of 1/3 vinegar and 2/3 water. In the morning drain this off, and mix in seasonings and mayonnaise with the potatoes.

You’re just supposed to know…

2010-05-16T09:28:00.001-07:00

Have you spent any time looking through vintage cookbooks. Go back a few decades and it becomes quickly apparent how much time our grandmothers spent baking from scratch. Most of the cookie recipes don’t tell you how long to cook them or the oven temp. You’re just supposed to know! The best trick? Use a moderate oven temp around 350 degrees and keep a watch on your cookies after 5 or 6 minutes. Don’t be afraid to experiment! Even a bad cookie can be good!

SOUR CREAM COOKIES

1 cup thick sour cream

1 teaspoon soda

a pinch of salt

1 cup granulated sugar

Flour enough to roll. Flavor to taste. Bake.

SCOTCH COOKIES

3 c. flour

1 tsp. soda

1 c. shortening (half butter and half lard)

1 c. sugar and 2 eggs beaten together

4 tbsp. of milk, mix with flour and shortening.

Flavor with vanilla.

Roll thin and sprinkle with sugar. Bake.

How high’s the water Daddy?

2010-05-05T03:52:00.000-07:00

There’s something to be said for living on a hill during a thousand year flood event. Here’s a picture of a beautiful field near the Hollow. The water beyond the pond is actually overflow from Barkley Lake spilling into a normally dry field.

A narrow strip of land separates a swollen creek from overflow from Lake Barkley.

View of Cumberland River backwater at Spring Street in Dover.

Cumberland River at Dover Landing.

Cumberland River at Dover bridge.

How high’s the water Daddy? Six feet high and rising! This is a view of bottom land near the Hollow. This has about six feet of back water from Lake Barkley flooding the woods near the road. The lake is expected to rise another four feet over the next couple of days as the Cumberland River continues to flood.

More Flood Pictures

2010-05-04T09:27:00.000-07:00

This is a view of Old Bumpus Mills Road in Dover. Normally the water is very low on the right side of this picture.

View from the bridge of the Cumberland River at Dover.

View of the Tennessee River at Paris Landing. This shows water in the parking lot.

View of the marina at Paris Landing and water in the parking lot.

Flooding in Tennessee

2010-05-03T09:29:00.001-07:00

I just heard that the Cumberland River is at a record high flood level and is expected to crest at over 60 feet in Clarksville. Levels this high have not been seen since the 1930’s – before the dams were built.

This is a picture of Saline Creek in Bumpus Mills.

Here’s another view of Saline Creek. I have seen it higher, but it has been several years.

This is a view of Dyers Creek in Dover.

This is a view of Dover Landing and the Cumberland River. You are usually able to drive further down, but obviously that part is covered with water.

Hope you are all safe!

Flooding in Tennessee

2010-05-02T12:39:00.000-07:00

Thoughts and prayers are needed for Tennessee right now. I don't think I've ever seen flooding this bad in our area. Thankfully, I am on high ground. I cannot believe that I was watching cars floating down I-24 in Nashville on the news yesterday afternoon. You expect flooding on side roads, but not major interstates. Check out some of the info from one of our local new stations - WSMV. It should go without saying, but DO NOT try to drive through rising water. I hope all my fellow Tennessee bloggers, friends, and neighbors are safe!

Where have I been?

2010-04-22T18:32:00.001-07:00

Time flies when you’re having fun. It also flies when you’re in the middle of chaos. Over the last few weeks I’ve been dealing with some major house and car repairs. If you heard recently that the economy is on the upswing, it’s because of me. I’ve definitely done my part to stimulate it! Now, it’s someone else’s turn. Please.

One of my repairs ended up being my refrigerator. It was so a lemon and it was actually the second one I’ve had since the first one had been totally replaced under the warranty. That is a whole long story of negativity. And, I am trying to think positively. I will say that that experience left me determined to buy locally, not from that widely advertised chain store and definitely not that brand.

However, in shopping locally for a new refrigerator, I found there were only two choices. Really, just two. Oh, there were different colors, but only two brands and pretty small sizes. I knew I was going to have to buy in a larger town, but that meant borrowing a friend’s truck or paying a huge delivery fee. A friend suggested I try Lowe’s. Being a savvy online shopper, I tried online first. There, in BOLD print, Lowe’s offered free local delivery and free removal of the old appliance. In slightly smaller print, Lowe’s stated that local delivery was within 75 miles of the store!

I didn’t believe it. But, I did look online for the specs I wanted in my new refrigerator and found one for the right price. It was even on sale. This had to be too good to be true. So, I called the local store – actually I had several to choose from in the 75 mile area. The sales rep was very helpful and confirmed the local delivery area. She also answered my questions about the refrigerator since they had a floor model. The only draw back…Lowe’s only delivered in my area once a week and I had just missed that delivery day. I knew I could not go a whole week without a refrigerator as I had already been fooling around with this problem for several days. (Why do things break on a weekend anyway?) BUT, the sales rep said I could order it online and they would deliver it the next day. WHAT? Could this be true?

Desperate for ice, I put Lowe’s to the test. They called the very next day for directions! The delivery guys set up the new one, made sure it was working properly and hauled away my old refrigerator. And, the refrigerator I bought without seeing? Perfect. I’m happy with the larger size, the price, and everything. All in all Lowe’s gave me terrific service.

I do feel a little bad about not buying locally. If this refrigerator had been available, I would have paid a little more for it. I would have done that and been happy because I want to support the local economy. I don’t want to support so much that I would buy an appliance that I knew would not make me happy. And, refrigerators can make us happy. Can’t they?

Spring is here

2010-03-28T08:58:00.001-07:00

Buttercups always mean Spring! What a beautiful way to say good-bye to Winter. And, I didn’t even have to trudge through snow to pick them this year.

We’re having thunderstorms today. The sky looks pretty black. But there is something beautiful about a Spring storm. The dark clouds are a perfect back drop for all the bright Spring colors. I love a good thunderstorm, but hate the thoughts of another tornado warning.

Back in the hollow, we were always respectful of the damage a tornado could do to your home. I can remember driving through central Illinois and seeing whole subdivisions flattened. In a time when the early warning system was still new, we always prepared to head to our cellar if the storm got too bad. I always had my crayon box packed and ready. It was really an old cigar box filled with broken crayons and little treasures, but I carried it with me everywhere. I guess I felt if the house blew away, I could start over with my box of crayons. Thankfully that never happened.

Years later a friend gave me a birthday card with a box of crayons on the front. Inside, the words invited me to open a new box of crayons for a whole new year and to color only happy days. On this dark Spring day, that’s my wish for all of us. Let’s color some happy days!

Oven Toast to Spring?

2010-03-14T07:59:00.001-07:00

Well, March has definitely come in like a lamb. That will make for some interesting weather at the end of the month. A strange thing happened to me last week. Around 4:00 pm, I started feeling a little ‘funny’. After a few minutes, I recognized the feeling. I was warm! For the first time in a couple of months, I actually felt warm and had to put on a t-shirt instead of my standard sweatshirt! Later on I found out it was the warmest day we’ve had since November! Of course, about a half-hour later, the sun went down and I was cold again. This must be what it feels like to live in the desert. You’ve just got to love Tennessee weather.

As I’m writing this, fresh cinnamon toast is baking in the oven. When was the last time you made toast in the oven? A friend has been experimenting with making sour dough bread – the truly home made kind made without benefit of a bread maker. I have to tell you it is delicious. I keep telling my friend that it needs a little improvement so that she will keep supplying me with samples! :-) But, there is nothing better than sprinkling cinnamon and sugar on butter covered slices of homemade sour dough bread. It’s one of those tastes that take you back to a simpler time. A time when things moved a little slower and we had more time to think.

These days we are constantly bombarded with mind clutter. From the time we wake up in the morning until we go to sleep at night, we are in constant contact with each other and the world at large. I sometimes know more about what’s happening across the world than across the road. Growing up in a time that included ‘party lines’ makes me appreciate how connected we were to our neighbors and how large the world used to be. The world seems so much closer now, but in some ways we are farther apart then ever. It makes me want to reach out to everyone I love and offer them a slice of cinnamon toast with a cup of coffee!

Oven Cinnamon Toast

Thickly sliced sour dough bread baked by you best friend (or store bought if your friends are ‘cooking’ challenged)

Cinnamon and sugar mixed together to taste (brown sugar works well too)

Buttery Spread (you can use real butter, but let it soften first so you can spread it – I like Smart Balance)

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Spread butter onto toast. Sprinkle with cinnamon & sugar mixture. Place on baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes or so depending on how brown you prefer toast.

Blue Sky and Pork Salad

2010-02-24T19:42:00.001-08:00

In case you don’t recognize it, this is a picture of a blue sky as seen through my favorite subject - trees. We haven’t seen too much of blue sky lately. In fact, a couple of hours after I snapped this one, the entire sky was overcast. We had rain by nightfall. And, we had snow flurries today. I know Spring is on the way. My buttercups (daffodils) are about four inches high near the edge of the woods. They’re usually protected from Winter and sometimes bloom by the end of February. I think they’ll be a little late this year. That’s a little scary to me though. Mom always said that it will snow on the buttercups when they bloom. I don’t remember her being wrong about that. But, I don’t look forward to snapping a picture of yellow blooms covered in snow.

I’m still going through my vintage cookbooks for new recipes. I ran across a recipe for Pork Salad. Years ago a co-worker brought something like this to a potluck. So, you know it was a good dish! I never did manage to get the secret recipe, but this one looks pretty close. I believe it would be wonderful with country ham.

PORK SALAD

2 cups pork cut in 1/2 inch cubes

Sprinkle with salt and pepper

Add 1 cup diced celery

1/2 cup French dressing

Chill 1/2 hour or longer. Drain and serve in nest of lettuce.

A Valentine Poem

2010-02-13T21:33:00.000-08:00

I thought I'd share a couple of my favorite poems for Valentine's Day. Hope you have a wonderful day!
.
IF YOU BUT KNEW
.
If you but knew
How all my days seemed filled with dreams of you,
How sometimes in the silent night
Your eyes thrill through me with their tender light,
How oft I hear your voice when others speak,
How you 'mid other forms I seek -
Oh, love more real than though such dreams were true
If you but knew.
.
Could you but guess
How you alone make all my happiness,
How I am more than willing for your sake
To stand alone, give all and nothing take,
Nor chafe to think you bound while I am free,
Quite free, till death, to love you silently,
could you but guess.
.
Could you but learn
How when you doubt my truth I sadly yearn
To tell you all, to stand for one brief space
Unfettered, soul to soul, as face to face,
To crown you king, my king, till life shall end,
My lover and likewise my truest friend,
Would you love me, dearest, as fondly in return,
Could you but learn?

A Dusting in the Hollow

2010-02-11T00:22:00.001-08:00

The last weather forecast I heard called for a slight dusting after rain turned to snow. Well, I never saw any rain and woke up to this lovely snowfall Tuesday morning. I am thankful that we are still able to measure our snow by inches rather than feet. However, I am so ready for Spring! Hope you enjoy the pictures.

Anyone have a shovel?

There’s a road here somewhere….

Aren’t the trees beautiful?

And just one more…

Snow in the Hollow

2010-01-31T13:06:00.001-08:00

Well, we didn’t get as much snow as expected, but it was still a decent amount. And, it was enough for a ‘snow day’. Remember them as a child? Remember being so excited that school was closed. I can remember being huddled in front of the television at night waiting for the Snow Bird report on WSM. Fingers and toes crossed that our county would be filled with snow and closed the next day. As adults, we don’t get too many snow days. Saturday was one for me. I spent most of the day curled up with a new book.

I tend to look back on growing up in the hollow through rose-colored glasses. I know times were hard, but I prefer writing about the happier times. When I heard about the new novel, Everything Will Be All Right, I knew it was something that I would want to read. It’s a true story of Douglas Wallace and how he overcame poverty mingled with abuse. Wallace tells his often painful true story with a strong love of family and Tennessee. It’s a quick read, but still caused me to shed tears along with laughter as it sometimes came too close to home.

Everything Will Be All Right is more than a book. It’s a glimpse into a generation not too far removed from today. It will give you hope, and we can all use a little more hope in today’s world.

Snow?

2010-01-27T16:37:00.000-08:00

I'm a little skeptical about the weather forecast. The last time snow was predicted, we didn't get much. Now, they are calling for significant accumulation. Well, in middle Tennessee that is probably about three inches. It could also be a mixture of rain, snow, sleet and freezing rain. Oh my! I feel the need to fill all available containers with water. I must go to the grocery store and stock up on bread and milk. If you end up with an abundance of snow, check out my recipe for Snow Cream. Stay safe and warm!

Is this January?

2010-01-21T15:50:00.001-08:00

Last week I was so cold I thought my toes would freeze. This week we’re having thunderstorms and tornado warnings. It must be January in Tennessee. Still, I feel blessed. Blessed to be living here and not in the devastation in Haiti. My thoughts and prayers go out to Haiti and all of the families and friends of the American’s caught up in this terrible disaster.

For The Birds

2010-01-15T05:55:00.000-08:00

In the Spring I spend a lot of time listening to birds, but in the Winter I spend a lot of time watching them. How about you? They are so cute. I’d love to take some up close pictures of them, but my feeders are quite a distance from the windows. I’ll usually use binoculars. I bet the neighbors think I’m watching them!

This Winter the National Audubon Society and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology are conducting a bird count from February 12th through February 15th. You can record your findings at birdcount.org. This site will also give you info on how to identify the birds and how to count them. I’m thinking there will be a little more info than black birds, red birds, little birds, etc. But, it sounds like a fun project and a way to help out our wildlife. Happy counting!