Spring

The snow is still on the ground, but there sun is shining.  

Life during pandemic

The security I’ve experienced most of my life, has met a bump in the road ...
... coronavirus 19 pandemic ...
    Trying to be positive.

 I’ve been doing a lot of  cooking and packaging cooked items into individual portions for my freezer.
   So easy when I prepared my daily meals, plop the frozen, precooked portions in toaster oven.
Plate when hot.
   Helpful web page on preparing and cooking beef. https://www.themeatsource.com/cookingroastbeef.html

Spring is around the corner.   Will order seeds from Seed Saver Exchange  (Decorah, Iowa)

I will start seed in the middle of Feb.  Last date of frost is April 14 for Iowa City area.

Simple pumpkin pie recipe ... 

Ingredients:
Pastry 1 cup all-purpose flour 

1/2 teaspoon salt 

1/3 cup plus 

1 tablespoon shortening 

2 to 3 tablespoons cold water 

Sugar 

=======

Filling 

2 eggs 

1/2 cup sugar 

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 

1/2 teaspoon salt 

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger 

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves 

1 can (15 oz) pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix) 

1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk 

======

Directions:
 1. In a medium bowl, mix flour and salt. Cut in shortening, using pastry blender (or pulling 2 table knives through ingredients in opposite directions), until particles are size of small peas. Sprinkle with cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing with fork until all flour is moistened and pastry almost cleans side of bowl (1 to 2 teaspoons more water can be added if necessary). 

2. Gather pastry into a ball. Shape into flattened round on lightly floured surface. Wrap in plastic wrap; refrigerate about 45 minutes or until dough is firm and cold, yet pliable. This allows the shortening to become slightly firm, which helps make the baked pastry more flaky. If refrigerated longer, let pastry soften slightly before rolling.

3. Heat oven to 425ºF. With floured rolling pin, roll pastry into round 2 inches larger than upside-down 9-inch glass pie plate. Fold pastry into fourths; place in pie plate. Unfold and ease into plate, pressing firmly against bottom and side. Trim overhanging edge of pastry 1 inch from rim of pie plate. Fold and roll pastry under, even with plate. Cut scraps of rolled pastry with tiny leaf-shaped cookie cutter. Sprinkle cutouts with sugar; press on pastry edge. 

4. In medium bowl, beat eggs slightly with wire whisk or hand beater. Beat in all remaining filling ingredients until well blended.

5. To prevent spilling, place pastry-lined pie plate on oven rack. Pour filling into pie plate. Bake 15 minutes. 

6. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Bake about 45 minutes longer or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 30 minutes. Refrigerate about 4 hours or until chilled. Store in refrigerator.

I made a wonderful quick and easy candy today.   It is made with graham crackers and has a praline taste.

GRAHAM CRACKER BRITTLE

1/2 c. butter 1/2 c. margarine 1/2 c. brown sugar 1/2 c. finely chopped pecans Graham cracker squares Line cookie sheet with aluminum foil.  Place graham cracker squares on foil, covering foil completely (no places between crackers)  Cracker lines should go in  same direction.In 2 quart saucepan bring butter, margarine, and brown sugar to boil.  Boil 2  minutes.  Pour mixture over graham crackers.  Sprinkle with pecans. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes.  Remove from oven.   Cut along cookie lines while still warm.  Let cool in pan.  Peel from foil. Store in ice box.

Baked Rice Pudding

Ingredients

• 1 cup cooked rice
• 2 1/2 cups milk
• 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup raisins
• 1 teaspoon vanilla 
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly grease  9-inch glass baking dish.

In a large bowl, stir together first 7 ingredients. Spoon into prepared baking dish. Place baking dish in a large pan with hot water  (1 inch)  Bake for 1 1/2 hours, or until lightly browned and set. Combine cinnamon and nutmeg; sift over top.  

Peanut Butter Cookies (no flour)

1 cup peanut butter
1 cup sugar (or 1/2 brown sugar + 1/4 cup white sugar)
1 egg
1 t. vanilla




directions
1.  Beat peanut butter until  creamy. 
2.  Add sugar and mix well. 
3.  Add the whole egg and mix.
4.  When well blended, drop by spoonfuls onto a greased cookie sheet.


Bake at 350°F degrees for about 12-15 minutes or until you see them golden brown on the bottom.
Makes about 12 cookies. 


I sometimes melt chocolate chips and dip the bottom of the cookie in the chocolate..

Kitting Sock in Rhyme

LOVE THIS POEM .. I lost this poem years ago .... just found it ... am posting it so I wont lose it again.

To knit a stocking, needles four,
Cast on the needles and no more;
Each needled stitches eight and twenty,
Then one for seam stitch will be plenty.
Four twenty rounds your stitch must be
Two plain, two purl alternately,
Except the seam stitch which you do
Once purl, once plain, the whole way through.
A finger plain you next must knit,
Ere you begin to narrow it;
But if you like the stocking long,
Two fingers’ length will not be wrong.
And then the narrowings to make,
Two stitches you together take
Each side the seam; then eight rounds plain,
Before you narrow it again.
Ten narrowings you’ll surely find
Will shape the stocking to your mind;
Then twenty rounds knit plain must be,
And stitches sixty-five you’ll see.
These just in half you must divide,
With thirty-two on either side;
But on one needle there must be
Seam stitch in middle, thirty-three.
One half on needles two you place,
And leave alone a little space;
The other with the seam in middle,
To manage right is now my riddle.
Backward and forward you must knit,
And always purl the backward bit;
But seam stitch, purl and plain, you know,
And slip the first stitch every row.
When thirty rows you thus have done,
Each side the seam knit two in one
Each third row, until sure you feel
That forty rows are in your heel.
You then begin the hell to close;
For this, choose one of the plain rows;
Knit plain to seam, then two in one,
One plain stitch more must still be done.
Then turn your work, purl as before
The seam stitch � two in one, one more;
Then turn again, knit till you see
Where first you turned, a gap will be.
Across it knit together two,
And don’t forget one plain to do;
Then turn again, purl as before,
And sew till there’s a gap no more.
The seam stitch you no longer mind,
That, with the hell, I s left behind.
When all the heel is quite closed in,
To knit a plain row you begin,
And at the end you turn no more,
But round and round knit as before.
For this, on a side needle take
The loops the first slip-stitches make;
With your heel needle ½ knit them plain,
To meet the old front half again.
This on one needle knit should be,
And then you’ll have a needle free
To take up loops the other side,
And knit round plain, and to divide
The back parts evenly in two;
Off the heel needle some are due;
Be careful that you count the same.
On each back needle, knit round plain;
But as the foot is much too wide,
Take two together at each side,
On the back needle where they meet
The front to make a seam quite neat.
Each time between knit one plain round,
Till stitches sixty- four are found;
And the front needle does not lack
As many as on both the back.
You next knit fifty-six rounds plain,
But do not narrow it again;
‘Twill then be long enough, and so
Begin to narrow for the toe.
Your long front row knit plainly through,
But at its end knit stitches two;
Together and together catch
Two first in the next row to match;
Then to the other side knit plain
Half round, and do the same again;
That is, two last together catch,
Two first in the front row to match.
At first knit four plain rounds between,
Then two, ten one, until ’tis seen
You’ve knit enough to close the toe;
And then decrease in every row,
Until to stitches eight you’re brought,
Then break the thread off  ½ not too short  ½
And as these stitches eight you do,
Each time your end of thread pull through;
Then draw up all to close it tight,
And with a darning needle bright,
Your end of thread securely run,
And then, hurrah! The stocking’s done!
Anonymous

~1885

Cream Soup / White Sauce Mix with Variations

Tired of buying canned soup for recipes ... here is a solution.

Makes 10 servings of soup or white sauce mix.

2 1/4 cups instant nonfat dry milk powder

3/4 cup cornstarch

1/4 cup chicken bouillon or vegetable bouillon granules

1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt

2 teaspoons onion flakes

 Combine all ingredients and store in covered mason jar. 

Directions: Mix 1/3 cup dry mix with 1 1/4 cup cold water. Cook stirring constantly until mixture thickens. (I use a double boiler) Cook 2 more minutes. Use this instead of canned cream soups.

To make White Sauce mix .. omit bouillon.

Variations:

Mushroom Soup: Add 1/2 cup finely chopped mushrooms

Celery Soup: Add 1/2 cup minced celery

Potato Soup: Add 1 cup diced *cooked potatoes 

Chicken Soup: Add 1/2 cup diced cooked chicken

Vegetable Soup: Add 3/4 cup *cooked mixed vegetables

Broccoli Soup: Add 1 cup chopped *cooked broccoli

Asparagus Soup: Add 1 cup chopped *cooked asparagus or canned asparagus.

Notes:

note 1: *cooked -- I will often cook uncooked vegetable in about 1/4 cup or more water if they are uncooked.
note 2: - If cooking your uncooked vegetables in 1/4 cup water before adding to soup mix. DO NOT add to hot cooked veggies and 1/4 cup hot water to soup mix.  First mix dry soup mix in 1 cup cold water --  then add cooked veggies, and 1/4 hot water veggies were cooked in. Continue cooking - stirring constantly until thickened. 

note 3: - For individual soups -- 3 T mix maybe more to 3/4 cup water - I also add parsley, or other spices to add flavor.  May add left over cooked rice or instant rice.

note 4: - To make mix for white sauce, omit chicken/vegetable bouillon -- I will then use 1 1/4 cup cold chicken/beef broth when making soup.  You do have to adjust the seasonings, if using broth.

note 5: - The white sauce mix (about 3 T) is great in making gravy, just remember to mix, dry mix in cold water and blend before adding to hot meat drippings. You may have  to  any added more water/milk for gravy consistency.

Experiment with this basic recipe ... make it your own.  (red or green peppers are a good addition,  along with parsley and onions)

Blueberry (fruit) Cobbler

3 1/2 c blueberries

1 c flour

1 cup sugar

1 t baking powder

1 beaten egg

6 T butter melted

1/4 t cinnamon + 1 T brown sugar

1. Fill your baking dish (square cake pan) with the fruit.  (unsweetened)

1. In another  bowl, mix together -- flour, sugar and baking powder. 
2. Pour well beaten egg over the four mixture, mix with a fork until it resembles coarse cornmeal.
3. Pour the this mixture over the fruit, covering evenly.
4. Drizzle the melted butter over the top.
5. Sprinkle the top with cinnamon / sugar combination.

Bake at 350 deg. for 35-40 min.

I have used this recipe with other fruits, (apple, peach, cherry, pie plant --- all sorts of berries and combinations) Use the same amount of fruit (3 1/2 cups)  

My favorite  is blueberry / peach combination.