I Baked...

The weather was mild, the breezes came through the open windows of the farmhouse, and it was a perfect day to bake. 

I made six loaves of bread, and sixteen more caramel pecan rolls. Fear not. Most of them left the farmhouse late yesterday to share with our neighbors. A few remained - to be enjoyed judiciously.

After all the dishes were washed and put away (thank you, Handsome), I pulled a jar of chicken soup/pot pie filling I canned a few months ago. I thickened it with my homemade chicken gravy mix, and made a crust specifically developed for meat pies. We had a homemade chicken pot pie for dinner. I do love having simple and tasty options at the end of a busy day. 

Today, I'm going to the blood bank to donate for a friend who needs a transfusion. Did you know you're allowed to request donations for upcoming procedures? All you need to do is plan ahead so the donations are received within a time frame that keeps them viable for the date of your procedure.

As I'm a "universal donor", they asked if I'd help by making a donation. I haven't donated since we lived in Florida, and I was happy to help, so off I go this morning to do my part.

I'll have the rest of the day to do as I please, plus Handsome has rehearsal tonight. I may even work on the monarch again!

 

Baking Day...

English Muffins

Mondays are typically baking days here at the farmhouse. Yesterday was no exception. I baked four loaves of farmhouse sandwich bread (one went up the hill to Andy and Shelly), six large hamburger buns, and ten English muffins. 

I hadn't made the muffins before, so I did learn a few things this time, including that once mixed they should cold proof in the refrigerator for 3-5 hours. They can be made immediately, but that wasn't the suggested method. So, after I mixed and kneaded the dough, into a covered container to spend three hours in the fridge.

After cold proofing, I cut the dough into equal pieces and formed them into balls. They were rolled in semolina and then placed on a baking sheet lined with parchment and more semolina to rise. Handsome was at band rehearsal and the muffins were ready to finish just as he walked in the door.

He usually likes to have a light meal after rehearsal, so I took out my flat cast iron pan and put three muffins on the hot pan at a time. Directions said to fry one side for 3-5 minutes, then turn it over, press into the English muffin shape and fry the second side. (I may have slightly overdone the last two).

I placed them on my cooling rack, and made Handsome's breakfast-for-dinner. As I was finishing his ham and eggs, he took a muffin out of the toaster. He declared them a roaring success, so I guess I'll be making them again in the future. 

I work today, so I'll be leaving soon. Tomorrow, I'll tell you about the constant commotion inundating us at the farmhouse - along with all our neighbors who actually have it worse than we do. I think you'll be as peeved as we are.  See you later!

One More Apple Day...

It was all hands on deck to can the last of the apples we got ten days ago. I decided that the bulk of what we had left would become apple pie filling, with the remaining apples going toward a couple more jars of applesauce. I had already prepared the apples for the pie filling, and Handsome was cutting up the rest to go into the Nesco™roaster to cook down.

While Handsome was doing that, I was making the apple pie filling. It was gorgeous, and already tasty as soon as the ingredients were all mixed and heated in my Kilner™ pot.

Rather than heat up the kitchen with a roaster and the water bath canner, I set up a little outdoor kitchen on the porch. Once the jars were filled, and had the lids secured, it was into my trusty electric canner.

Twenty five minutes later, the quart jars were finished processing. I turned off the canner and removed the cover to let the jars stand in the water for about fifteen more minutes to avoid siphoning the contents. It worked like a charm. 

It wasn't long before the apples in the roaster were sufficiently cooked down to be able to put everything through my dear mother-in-law's chinois to separate the pulp from the seeds and skin. By that time, my cooking pot was washed and waiting to ready the applesauce mixture (apples, cinnamon, nutmeg and a wee bit of sugar) for the jars.

When all was said and done, there were six sealed quart jars of apple pie filling, a partial pint for using in the next few days to make homemade apple tarts or hand pies, and two more quarts of applesauce. All the jars are already cleaned, rings removed, labeled, and placed on the pantry shelf well before bed time. 

Tomorrow, I'll share photos from our Saturday Craft Day in Portage. I must say it was a lovely and productive weekend, indeed.

Stewed Tomatoes...

It actually wasn't in my plans to do any canning yesterday, but "flexible" is a good thing, right? I'd sent off a message to the couple who have a fabulous fruit and vegetable growing business close to us to see if there were tomatoes available. I awoke to a message yesterday morning informing me that she'd have a twenty pound box of beef steak tomatoes waiting for me at the "pick up and pay" shed by noon.

When I arrived, I saw the box of gorgeous tomatoes with my name on the sheet. I turned around to see what could easily be award-winning green peppers for $1.00 each. I knew that I would be turning this twenty pound box of shiny red goodness into stewed tomatoes, so I grabbed five peppers and put my money in the drop box. Then, Handsome and I drove up to their barns - having seen them in the yard - so we could say "hi" and thank them for being so accommodating. I also said I'd be back for more soon.

We drove home and I got all of my canning supplies set up in the kitchen. While the water was heating up in my pressure canner, as well as the blanching pot, I set about cutting onions, green peppers, and celelery, and putting them into my Kilne™ pot where I would soon be adding the cut up tomatoes. Adding salt and dried parsley to the mix, and then letting it simmer, until the vegetables were all softened, it was ready to jar. 

Everything went into clean jars, and after the rims were cleaned, lids affixed and rings screwed on (finger tight), seven quarts of goodness went into the pressure canner for twenty five minutes. An hour later (after the pressure was completed released), the lid was removed and the jars were allowed to settle before I put them on the board to cool. All the lids sealed, jars were labeled, and by dinnertime, all put away in the pantry.

This batch (I used fifteen pounds of tomatoes) also yielded a quart jar of leftover juice that I put into the refrigerator for us to drink. It's our homemade version of V8. I also reserved all the skins from blanching the tomatoes to put into our dehydrator. I've learned that I can dehydrate, then process into powder to use as tomato paste later by simply adding water and a little vinegar. There was actually only a very small bowl of waste - cores from the tomatoes and the cutoffs from the other vegetables. 

The contents of these jars will be used as a base for chili, spaghetti, soup, or casseroles into the fall and winter, so I'll definitely get more tomatoes to make more. After all, two of us would easily go through seven quarts rather quickly.

We took a break for fresh cheese and tomato sandwiches with Duke's mayonnaise on homebread for lunch. I can tell you they tasted incredible. They 'maters were rich and sweet tasting, and each one in the box weighed nearly a pound!

On another note, the ladies and I had a great time for our Saturday Craft Day, but I'll tell you all about that tomorrow. Veggies took top billing for today. I hope you all had as nice a weekend as I did! I'll see you tomorrow.

Sweet Treats Today...

I only made three different treats yesterday... Top to Bottom: Cranberry Nut Drop Cookies, Magic Cookie Bars, and what my old recipe card calls Toffee Bars. 

First, those Toffee Bars aren't really toffee, but they do taste like it. The base is flour, butter, egg yolk, salt and vanilla. Once that's baked for 25 minutes, it's taken out of the oven and milk chocolate is allowed to melt on the hot cookie-like base. Once it's melted, spread and top with nuts. Cut into small squares while still warm. They're really tasty. Click HERE to go to Mom on Time Out's blog and get the same recipe I used. I suspect her mom made them when she was a kid, too, like my mom did.

The Magic Cookie Bars are a recipe I've had for a long time. You've probably made them. It's a recipe from Eagle Brand, and it uses sweetened condensed milk. Click HERE for the link to this recipe.

Finally, the top photograph is the Cranberry Nut Drop Cookies. They're really delicious to me because they're a bit tart and a bit sweet. Click HERE for a recipe very close to mine. The difference is that my recipe calls for orange juice instead of lemon juice, and I used hickory nuts instead of walnuts. Oh, and I don't have any milk less than whole milk in our house. 

None of these recipes are difficult. Otherwise, I dare say I wouldn't have made all three batches today. Of course, the bar recipes are almost like cheating because they go into one pan all at once, and then are just cut apart. Even so, I managed to get all of them done and put away, with a sweet treat for an after dinner dessert last night.

My plan is to rest today, and just sit and stitch. I haven't decided what my project will be quite yet, so I'll just follow my muse...after a cuppa, of course. Goodness, how can it be the weekend again already?!

Weekend Chores...

Moving Wood To The Shed

Saturday was certainly a productive day at Hickory Hill Farm. Andy and Shelly came down with their tractor (which Andy has been driving since he was seven!), and helped us move our big farm wagon out of our pole barn and over to the wood shed. We purchased this wagon, loaded with wood, when we bought the property.  The wagon has been in the barn all winter, and we wanted to get the wood and trailer moved out to make more room in the barn.

Because of the location of the wagon in the barn, it had to be backed out, with someone holding and steering the trailer by the tongue on the front. As they were backing it out, the tie rod on the wheel gave way under the weight of all the wood on the front of it, but it didn't take long for Andy to affect a repair and get the load under way again. Once they were clear of the building, he then hooked onto the front hitch and drove it over to the shed.

Emptying The Wagon

After the trailer was backed into the shed, even their grandson, Eli, got down to helping unload the wood. I was stacking wood, too, until one of our builder friends arrived to bid on replacing our wraparound porch.

I took him back to the house and we discussed removing and replacing the existing porch with new boards, rails, and trim. We may even replace the pillars to give the front and side of the farmhouse an updated, authentic (true to the original) look before the snow flies. We may not get to enjoy it much this year, but it will be ready for ice tea and rocking chairs next spring.
 

Room For More Wood

By the time I was finished up at the house, our dear neighbors and Handsome had finished unloading and stacking the wood, and the wagon was empty and clean. I was actually a little disappointed that I couldn't have done more there. I was actually having fun stacking wood!

I can certainly understand how (and why) pioneer families helped each other raise barns, sew or quilt quilt in each others homes or shared meal preparations. More hands lighten the load, and deep and lasting friendships are formed over such chores. There is no way that Handsome and I could ever have moved that trailer load of wood without Andy and Shelly. Again, we're grateful for their unselfish help, and we've come to genuinely love them more each day. 

Making Vegetable Stock

When I came back to the house, I pulled a bag of frozen vegetable trimmings I've been accumulating out of the freezer, and popped them into my big stew pot. I topped them off with water, and added a little salt.

I let the contents simmer the rest of the day, and before dinnertime, I strained off all the liquid and set it aside to cool. I tossed all the vegetable waste for the compost pile, and in the end, had a quart of homemade vegetable stock to put in the fridge. I'll use it this week for a nice soup on one of our wonderfully chilly nights. Nothing makes me happier than being able to grab a light sweater or a sweatshirt in the evening. Wisconsin evenings are perfect for that.

Banana Nut Bread, Fresh Out Of The Oven

I made two large loaves, and four small loaves of banana nut bread while the vegetables were simmering in the pot. One loaf went up the hill to Andy and Shelly; one small loaf went down the road to our dear neighbor, Mary Jane; two small loaves went home with Mom Grace's daughter, Deb (who I call "Sis"); and we kept one large loaf here.

I've shared my recipe with you Here in a previous blog post, and it's our family favorite. I added my own touch (homemade vanilla) to the recipe, along with Georgia pecans I picked up on my trip north from Florida. These loaves never last long at our house!

Dirty Dog

 

Oh, I had one more task for the day on Saturday. Handsome let the dogs out before I came downstairs Saturday morning. After I grabbed my cup of coffee, I headed to the dining room to greet my dear husband and thank him for my morning brew. He was already outside in the barn, but this was the sight that greeted me.

 

I found out after I went outside that a certain short-legged corgi, who shall remain nameless, decided to take himself down the lane in front of our house. There he found more goopy nastiness to roll in, which he did with a thoroughness that would be admired in all of Dogdom. I, on the other hand, was not quite so impressed.

After I finished my coffee, and before he stunk up the whole house, we went outside to the garden hose - dog shampoo in hand - and gave him a thorough cleansing. I can tell you that water was numbingly cold, too. It came straight up out of our well, a brisk 55º. Serves him right. (I add here that no corgis were harmed by this activity. He ran around like a crazed beast after I rinsed him off, and then rolled in the clean grass. He was just fine.) I'll need to brush him today. He's looking a little "blurry" with all the fur that needs to be combed out. 

 

I'll also be making homemade laundry detergent. It's that time again. Here's the recipe I use in case you're interested. (The link to the actual recipe is in that blog post from July 2014.) This is my favorite laundry soap now, so while I purchase the ingredients to make it, I no longer purchase the name brand detergents to wash our laundry. I prefer this instead.

 

All in all, we had a pretty wonderful weekend. There's just something about working out in the yard that has become so satisfying to me. I'm more tan (albeit a "farmer tan", meaning I have tan lines from the shorts and tops I wear, rather than swimsuit lines.) than I ever got in Florida. Handsome says it's because I spend more time outside here than I ever did down south. I guess he's right. I prefer the cooler weather we've had here to the steaming heat in the Sunshine State. Absolutely no complaints from this girl here. Rain or shine...nothing beats our days (and nights) here at Hickory Hill Farm.

Homekeeping...

Posted by a friend on FaceBook

I had every plan to spend the entire day in the studio yesterday. I remember reading this on FaceBook some time ago and I decided to share it with you today because sometimes, playing in the studio should has to take backseat to other things.

I realized that, just last week (the day I made the "I Love Quilting" wallet), I spent the entire day, joyfully sewing away - and never put on my clean dress and lipstick! GASP! What was I thinking?

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I imagine that it would be wonderful to have a separate, restful area like this to spend those hours catching up on ironing. Yes. I do actually iron Handsome's cotton shirts and a few other garments. I also use homemade cotton napkins every day, and sometimes they need a touch-up, too.

Found on Pinterest

Then I saw this and got all swoony. Imagine how fabulous it would be to have the space in my studio for an ironing center. A place for everything, and everything in its place. I've saved this image because I shall make one of these one day! (One of the comments I saw was that it was assembled using storage cubes (some with drawers, others with dividers like those shown) purchased at Michaels. I filed that information away, too.

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Well, as it was, I had my board and iron set up in our bedroom so that I could listen to the television as I got those things pressed and put away. I finished half of it before I had to quit to finish dinner prep. I'll do the rest before the weekend is over and start the new week with a slate clean enough to get me back into the studio.

What are you planning for the weekend? Will you be working, playing or creating? I'd love to know!

Another Homekeeping Idea...

Brynwood Needleworks - My Batch of Homemade Laundry Soap

 I'm passing along a great, economical project for you today. One of my favorite blogs to visit is Stone Gable.  So much homekeeping inspiration and eye candy in one place!     While exploring one day last week, I came across Yvonne's recipe for  homemade laundry soap. I was intrigued for a number of reasons. I'm always looking for homemade creations, and the thought of yesterday's solutions combined in new ways appealed to me, too. I headed over to "Wally World" and purchased the supplies, including a plastic tote for storage.   I spent $39.82 for my supplies and you'll only use 2-3 tablespoons per  load. I mixed everything into a large container and have about 9 quarts  of soap mix. I chose the lavender-scented UnStoppables and they're a  great addition. (They're really only added for scent, not cleaning power.)    Just to compare pricing: Tide Clean Breeze Scent Laundry Detergent 68 loads, 95 ounces $36.00 Homemade Laundry Soap 145 loads, 291 ounces $39.82

I'm with Yvonne...This is an economical solution to wash day expenses.

If you'd like to make up your own batch, here's a link to Stone Gable's

Homemade Laundry Soap recipe. (click here) You'll like adding your

own personal touch to it, too. Just choose your favorite Downy scent!

I'm actually looking forward to our next laundry day!

God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen...

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I didn't spend any time in the studio yesterday, but I sure 

got a lot accomplished! It was a day devoted to cleaning.

I vacuumed, dusted, scrubbed floors, cleaned bathrooms...

all those things that are part of my homekeeping duties.

These are things I actually love to do and there is always

a feeling of satisfaction when our home it "back to normal".

When I move into high gear in the studio, homekeeping takes a back seat.

Now I'm all caught up and ready to enjoy the holidays with Handsome.

I still have a few projects I'm working on, but there's no pressure.

I'll finish them next week, which will be soon enough.

I'm also going to be busy cleaning out cabinets and purging more of 

the clutter that seems to overtake me from time to time. I'll share 

pictures of the "good stuff" that I'll be listing up on eBay, Etsy 

or in my Brynwood Boutique. 

But for today...I rest.

Homemaking...

We all have different ways of making our houses homes, and making those we love feel cared for. I love it when I can spend a minimal amount of time to end up with something that has a big impact. It gives me a sense of accomplishment.

I was in the studio only for a few hours (total) over the weekend, but I ended up with four new sets of napkins for the Flying Cloud. I know, this is nothing big, but when you're traveling and eating dinner on the road, it makes one feel a bit more civilized. It feels more like "home".

Each napkin is two-sided with my signature acorn label on the side. They measure 12 1/2" square (but if I'm making them for the house, I think I'll upsize them to 14" or 16"). There are four napkins per set.

Some of the patterns are whimsical and some are more realistic. I really love the palm trees, but aren't these sea creatures cute, too?

Each napkin has a backing fabric that complements the main fabric. I think this vibrant aqua dot was just a perfect choice. It reminds me of the turtles on the front.

This fabric is one of the newest additions to my stash. Palm trees, sandpipers, seashells and sailboats. Could anything be more perfect for someone living in Florida? (And it coordinates with the plain palm tree fabric in the first set, so if there are more than four people at the table, I can mix and match!)

 

This set has a sand/beach theme on the back with seashells, sand dollars and other items you might find in the sand on our Florida beaches.

Of course, because there's such a strong music theme on the Flying Cloud already, I needed to make one more set using a little of my favorite Rhapsody of Grace fabric (I did manage to find four more yards when all of you helped me with my search!)...

backed with a one that reminds me of the feather quilting so popular on finished quilts. I think this just may be the quilting pattern I choose for the Farmers Wife quilt (when we're finally at that point).

I'm thinking of making some up as gifts for a few family members this year in their favorite colors/themes. I've been thinking about adding some of these napkin sets to the Boutique, too. What do you think?

Memory Lane Monday - Comfort Food...

Welcome to Memory Lane Monday for August. It's always so much fun choosing a favorite story to share. I originally planned a "Back to School" memory for you, but I was unable to locate the specific old photo I wanted to complete the post. I'm going to save that story for next month, and will spend the time between now and then tracking down that missing image!

In it's place, I've chosen a "Homemaking/Cooking" them instead. Mum taught me how to crack eggs and prepare them when I was about eight years old, so I've been a bona fide cook ever since. Nothing makes me happier than making meals for my family and watching them enjoy the fruits of my labor as they enjoy each others company.

Handsome's mother was a consummate hostess, entertaining guests, caring for her family and filling their home with the fragrances of delicious meals. In addition to a few of her favorite cookbooks, I consider myself fortunate to have her copy of the Sunset Hostess Handbook.

By the way, if you're interested in obtaining your own copy of this handbook, I found them available at eBay, etsy and even Amazon.com. Just do a Google search under "Sunset Hostess Handbook". 

It was written in 1936 (there's also a 1937 edition) and is full of tips, black and white images and recipes for being a good homemaker. There are helpful articles about hosting a dinner party, planning a special meal or features like The Kitchen Cabinet with recipes for delicious dishes.

I think my favorite thing about turning the pages in this book is finding a little check mark or notation in the margin where Evelyn showed which recipes she made and liked. On this particular page, she made the Cranberry Salad Mold, and left a check mark as her note.

I do the same thing with the recipes I try. I like to leave a comment in the margin to say what I did or didn't like, what I might change, and the date that I made it the first time. I always make it exactly as the recipe instructs the first time. I improvise from there, unless I'm making it with notes provided by a previous cook. In that case, I follow their recommendations.

I'd like to think that my daughters-in-law (or whoever ends up with any of my cookbooks) will enjoy turning the pages for the same reason. It seems to me to be another way to share an interest across time. I hope Evelyn is smiling down on me as I prepare the same dishes that she did, and as I aspire to create a happy home for our family.

Do you have the same rapport with your family cookbooks and guides? Perhaps some day, our grandchildren will turn the pages of Grandpa's bread cookbook and read his handwritten notes as he perfected his favorite Seven Grain Bread. Or they'll find the full dinner menu in my hardcover annual collection from Gourmet magazine that has become our Christmas meal for the past twenty plus years and want to make it for their families.

So many of us create family memories over meals. I hope that our family can continue the tradition of making those special dishes...as they add their own favorites to hand down. I think that's the true meaning of "comfort food". Don't you?

Thanks for joining me for this month's memory. I hope you'll share a memory on your blog (Don't forget to link back here!) or visit the other contributors (below) to read their stories, too! Bloggers will have until September 4th to add their link to Memory Lane Monday.

A Little Birdy Told Me...

I'm still making mug mats. Can you even believe it? Well, I do have a method to my madness. I'm making them as gifts. I'm not going to show you more of this one right now, but it's all finished and ready to go to its new home.
I also worked a little more on the Pure Table Quilt. I'm having fun piecing the borders because I only had charm squares and fat quarters of the Pure line, along with one jelly roll of Moda Basic in white, to work with. I admit it's a bit of a challenge.
I do have the fabric for the backing, but I'm still deciding if I'm going to cut some of it for the front and piece the back or not. I'm going to do another strip of white next, and then decide which fabrics I'll use next.

I hope you're all doing something fun today. Especially if you live where there's a lot of snow right now. Gosh! I can't even imagine living in snow again. Although, I fondly remember hot chocolate, a roaring fireplace and a couple of dogs lying on the carpet. I loved the days I spent working in my northern studio with the sun reflecting off the snow and brightening up my workspace.

I hope you have something to do that makes you smile today. Warm hugs from our home to yours.

Did I Tell You It's Hot Outside?...

Well, if I haven't told you yet, I'm telling you now! It's doggone hot outside here in south Florida. A trip outdoors anytime midday feels like being hit in the face with a hot, wet towel...unless you're heading to our favorite outdoor spot. That would be our pool!

These days, we stay indoors until late afternoon to avoid the intense sun, but as soon as she sees the tell-tale signs, Kes grabs her "swimming toy" and starts bouncing around the house. "Hurry up, guys! It's time to play!"

Handsome, Kes and I head out the back door and play in the water until we all get wrinkly. Kes runs up to Handsome once we're in the pool and they "face wrestle". They have a regular language all their own, and it's fun to watch.

Handsome is a showoff. He sits on the bottom of the pool, teasing me because I can't sink (some silly Law of Physics thing that has to do with body fat ratio). Kes teases for us to toss the kong toy (which she knows as "swimming toy") so she can dive underwater to retrieve it. She will bring the toy back to us and beg for us to throw it, repeatedly, until we fear she'll pass out. No one watching would ever guess she's nearly twelve years old!

She waits, impatiently, for the toy to be tossed into the pool.

Then she dives in after it. She'll go underwater, but if she misses it, we have to get it off the bottom and toss it again for her. However, if the stars are aligned properly and it's not too deep, she'll go completely underwater to get her toy.

Once she has the toy, she heads for the pool steps, climbs out and then shakes off the water, ready to do it all over again!

And then there's me. I grab my foam pool chair (which I call my "barge") and float around waiting for someone to peel grapes for me. (Like that's going to happen!)

So, at our house, we all work hard, but we sure know how to stop to smell the roses. Our life together is pretty darn wonderful. Just another joyful way we spend our days here in Paradise.