Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Old-Fashioned Cornbread Dressing



My mother made the best Cornbread Dressing. I asked her for the recipe one day and she told me how she prepared it. She just put a little of this and a little of that.....well you get the idea. So, I went surfing on the internet and found this recipe. It is the closest to being Mom's Cornbread Dressing.

1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 cup flour
1 Tablespoon sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1/4 cup shortening
1 egg
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1/3 cup margarine, melted
12 slices day-old bread, crumbled
2 to 2 1/2 cups turkey or chicken broth*
1 cup milk
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1/2 teaspoon rubbed sage
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Grease a 8 or 9-inch square pan. Blend first 8 ingredients about 20 seconds. Beat vigorously 1 minute. Pour into pan. Bake 20 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool, crumble cornbread into a large bowl. Saute celery and onion in margarine until tender. Add sauteed veggies and remaining ingredients to crumbled cornbread, stirring well. Spoon dressing into a lightly greased 13x9x2-inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes. Serves 8.

*Use 10 3/4 ounce can of chicken broth and 1 cup water instead of the turkey or chicken broth.

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Sharing Recipes



I thought I would start sharing some of my favorite recipes. I'll try to share at least 1 or 2 recipes per week, depending on how busy I am during that week. This week I will be sharing a cookie recipe that I made every year for my Christmas Goodie Baskets that I make for family and friends.

SNICKERDOODLES

1 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 3/4 cups sifted flour
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
Sugar Mixture:
2 Tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix together shortening, sugar and eggs thoroughly. Sift together flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt. Stir into shortening mixture. Roll into balls the size of walnuts. Roll in Sugar Mixture. Place about 2-inches apart on an ungreased pan. Bake 8-10 minutes or until lightly brown but still soft. Makes 5 dozen 2-inch cookies.

Note: Cookies will puff up while baking and then fall when cooling. This is normal.

Monday, September 21, 2009

Harvest Season is coming to an end



Harvest season is coming to end at my home this year. I still might get some apples to can and dehydrate....not sure. I've spent the last few days canning green beans, carrots and Veggie soup. I also did some dehydrating and freezing. I'll post photos of my canning in a couple days.

Some of you might wonder why I do so much canning. Both Rich and I grew up in families here in Southwestern Oregon that depended on the timber industy for their income. We both had stay at home Moms.

My family always had a big garden. We would preserve all we could for winter food. Dad worked in lumber and plywood mills that would often close in the winter for weeks. Then all we would have was unemployment checks that went for payments. So we would rely on the foods that Mom had preserved and the other food that she would stockpile during the summer. Dad usually had a hog growing for butchering every other year. We had chickens to provide eggs and meat. We would go to local farms and buy corn, pears, apricots, and apples. We would go out into the onion fields after harvesting was done and pick leftover onions. We picked wild blackberries and made jelly and froze berries for pies. To us, this was everyday life.

Rich's family didn't have a garden. His parents would stockpile their groceries during the summer months for winter. Rich's Mom would can some fruits. They would purchase beef from Rich's Uncle Everett and fill the freezer.

So, you see both Rich and I grew up in families that prepared for winter and emergencies. So, it is only natural that we do the same thing.

Health issues are another reason that we like having our own canned fruits and veggies. Rich and I both have to watch our sugar and salt intake. It is amazing how much sugar and salt are in commercially canned fruits and veggies. It is unbelievable.

What really brought the issue of salt in canned foods to my attention happened a few years ago. My Mother was prone to strokes. My niece, Sarah called me one night and told me that they had just called the ambulance for my Mother....they thought she was having another stroke. The paramedics came and when they checked her blood pressure it was 315/185. They immediately transported her to the hospital. They were able to get her blood pressure down and sent her home the next morning. I found out later what had brought on the attack.......she had ate a can of chili and saltine crackers for dinner. After that I started seeing how much sodium was in processed foods and it was a real eye opener.

The same thing goes with sugar. When I can my fruits I add about 1/2 cup sugar to 1 1/2 gallons of water for my syrup. That amount of sugar brings out the natural sugars in the fruits. When I can my veggies I add a dash of salt to each jar. That amount of salt brings out the natural salt in the veggies.

Another thing that I try to avoid is my foods is MSG. We found that if Rich eats foods laden with MSG he gets severe headaches. So, I've been cutting way back on any convenient foods. There are other preservatives that are just as bad. I also have to watch for almonds in everything. Almonds trigger Rich's asthma. I made Cherry Ice Cream several years ago and added almond extract to it. Rich took a couple of bites and had a severe asthma attack.......we was at my parent's place about 40 miles from the nearest hospital. I thought for sure we was going to have to rush him to the hospital. He used his inhaler several times and finally started breathing a little easier. Not too long after that he some cereal that had almonds in it and the same thing happened. So now we avoid almonds in his foods.

Now it is time to do some fall cleaning both inside and out and get ready for winter.

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Starting Halloween Early



Usually I wait until closer to Halloween before I wear my Witch's costume. Today I put it on a little early.

I've been getting these stupid phone calls about my CREDIT CARDS.........I don't own a credit card. Today I decided to wait and listen to the whole recording and try to then talk to a REAL PERSON! I got a real person on the line.......I explained that I was getting these calls from their company 2-5 times a week for the past few weeks. I told him that I wanted my name removed from their list.......he hung up on me! I can't believe the nerve of some of these telemarkers.......yes, they might need a job but they are a pain in the A.........! as far as I'm concerned.

Thanks for listening to me being on my soapbox about telemarkers. They rate right up there with most grocery baggers in my opinion!

Saturday, September 12, 2009

Happy Birthday!


Shirley........4 years old.

Monday, the 14th I will be celebrating my 57th birthday. I know that most ladies don't like to reveal their age.....it's never bothered me.

Rich and I will be celebrating my birthday the following weekend. Rich has the week off and we have several things planned to do during that week. One day....not sure what day....we are going to the Oregon Coast. Rich is taking me out for dinner one evening.

Dad and Mae are taking us out to dinner to celebrate my birthday after they get back from their trip later on in the month.

Halloween "Box of Goodies" Giveaway



Hudson's Holidays is having a awesome Halloween giveaway. Check it out and enter today.

Friday, September 11, 2009

Where Were You When the World Stopped Turning



Every time I hear the song "Where Were You When the World Stopped Turning" by Alan Jackson I think back to September 11, 2001.

Rich and I both had the day off and had decided to sleep in that horrible morning. The phone rang and Rich answered. It was our friend, Brian calling. He was crying and kept telling Rich to turn on the TV......he just kept repeating it over and over. I jumped out of bed and went into the living room and turned on the TV. I couldn't believe what I was seeing.......I screamed for Rich to come into the living room and see what was happening. We sat there for hours horrified with what we was watching on the TV. We just couldn't believe that we had been attacked by terrorists.

Tuesday, September 08, 2009

Fall is in the Air



The cute little one is in the photo is my niece, Claire. She is about 15 months old. She is so sweet and I can hardly wait to see her.

This morning it sure did feel like Fall is upon us. When I took Rich to work this morning it was a cool 42 degrees here is Southwestern Oregon. It was a quick reminder that we need to get the van heater repaired. It is supposed to be 80 degrees this afternoon.

Yesterday morning the furnace kicked on for the first time this year. Misty (our cat) came running into the bedroom and insisted on Rich getting up. She had smelled the furnace and was warning us that something wasn't right in her home. We praised her for waking us up!

Dad and Mae are traveling again this year. They arrived at my Aunt Velma's home in Siloam Springs, Arkansas yesterday afternoon. I don't know exactly where they will be going next. With them.......you never know.

We hope to get away to the Oregon coast soon. It's been a long time since we have had a chance to go to Gold Beach. We love seeing the area and especially the Jetty Cats. The Jetty Cats are well taken care of by several volunteers. They built houses for them and feed them daily. They take donations to provide veterinary care for all the cats. If they can be tamed they find forever homes for them.

We love to go down to the beach just outside Gold Beach toward Pistol River. We walk along the shore and sit and enjoy all the sights that Mother Nature has to offer. I love to find rocks, shells and driftwood. I'm hoping to find some driftwood to make Icicle Santas and Snowmen. Hopefully I'll be able to find some pieces and will post if I get some finished. Rich is always cringing when he sees me dragging home driftwood, rocks, shells, etc from our trips. Although, he did say the driftwood was pretty out in the garden area.

Well, I better get busy as I have to run into town and do some errands.