Wakie, Wakie, Rise & Shine!!

Do you remember your mother saying that? I sure do!! I don't think I ever saw Mom grumpy in the morning. Was that because she was a morning person or did she just drink enough of her black coffee to jump start her day before I was out of bed? Isn't it funny the things that we think of, when there's no way to get an answer? Maybe it is that fall feels like a time of reflection for me. It's also a time when I feel like making bread & pancakes and the like. I found this recipe for Pear Walnut Bread and thought it sounded terrific. I'll let you know how it turned out.

Pear Walnut Bread

Ingredients:

1 egg
1 cup of unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup of butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup of granulated sugar
1/4 cup of light brown sugar
1 1/2 cup of all-purpose flour
1/2 cup of wheat bran
1 tablespoon of flax seed meal
2 teaspoons of baking powder
3/4 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon apple pie spice (if you don’t have this use nutmeg)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 pears, washed, peeled and finely diced
1/4-1/3 cup of golden raisins, depending on how many you wish to add
3/4 cup of chopped walnuts

Topping: I sprinkled more golden raisins and cinnamon sugar mixture on the top sparingly.

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees with the rack in the center of the oven. Spray your loaf pan with nonstick floured baking spray. Set aside.

In your stand mixer, paddle attachment on, add the egg, applesauce, butter and sugars. Blend well.

In a separate bowl, sift the flour and then add the wheat bran, flax seed meal, baking powder, salt, baking soda, apple pie spice or nutmeg and cinnamon. Blend well. Then add to the wet mixture. Blend together. Then add the pears, raisins and walnuts and fold in by hand.

Pour into your prepared pan. Add a few additional raisins and a sprinkling of cinnamon sugar mixture on top and then baked for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Let cool completely before removing and slicing.

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I was reading about "downsizing" the other day & was looking at a Homesteaders Cabin that was 18 feet x 24 feet. Can you imagine? Could you live like this? Talk about a serious downsize!!! You have to check this out! See:

http://www.tinyhousedesign.com/2011/06/19/12x24-homesteaders-cabin-free-plans/

Have a nice long weekend!

Did I mention to you?

Our neighbour, Ed, gave Larry a tomato off his plant the other night for me. Oh my gosh it was so good! There's nothing like a tomato straight off the vine in terms of flavor. I can hardly wait to grow my own next summer. They are so good for you but they are high in sugar so I have to eat them a lot more sparingly than I would if I wasn't diabetic.

I always find changing seasons an interesting time, you have one foot in one camp and the other foot in another. That's how it feels for me right now. I am still wanting to celebrate with fresh produce, looking to boost my metabolism & increase my fiber.

Recipes for fresh salads are still appealing to me in a big way, most days. I saw this one and thought...gotta make this while the cucumbers are nice & firm. It's not exactly a strictly summer recipe but it just happened to speak to my taste buds right now.

Creamy Dill Cucumbers

1 cup fat-free milk
1/2 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise
1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1 envelope ranch salad dressing mix
2 tablespoons dill weed
1/8 teaspoon celery seed
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 large cucumbers, peeled and sliced
2/3 cup sliced red onion, separated into rings

Directions

In a small bowl, combine the milk, mayonnaise, sour cream, dressing mix, dill, celery seed and pepper. Stir in the cucumbers and onion. Serve with a slotted spoon. Yield: 8 servings.

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But, this bridge between seasons also has me thinking about getting fit and possibly joining the indoor walking group on Tuesday and Thursday mornings at the Haney Place Mall. It's only twice a week but it's better than nothing and I am likely to do it regularly when I don't have to get all soaking wet. Getting started has been difficult but I know from experience that once's it's part of the routine - I actually hate to miss it. There sure are a lot of benefits to walking...look what I found:

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At the same time as I am contemplating salads & exercise, soups, stews & chillis are starting to wiggle their way into my consciousness. The other day I saw a slow cooker Taco Soup and thought to myself, "It won't be long now!" I really believe in following what seems to be appealing. I think it's the body's way of telling us what we need to add to make it function better. I seem to be moving away from the fresh summer herbs and find warming winter spices are starting to appeal to me more. A lot of the cancer fighting spices come with heat, it's interesting isn't it?

Maybe it's the heat I am craving but the thought of a Curried Chicken Corn Chowder just sets my mouth to watering. Maybe I'll break out this recipe on the weekend:

Curried Chicken Corn Chowder

2 medium onions, chopped
2 celery ribs, chopped
1 tablespoon butter
3 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) reduced-sodium chicken broth
5 cups frozen corn
2 teaspoons curry powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Dash cayenne pepper
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup 2% milk
3 cups cubed cooked chicken breast

Directions

In a Dutch oven, saute onions and celery in butter until tender. Stir in the broth, corn, curry, salt, pepper and cayenne. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15 minutes.

In a small bowl, whisk flour and milk until smooth. Whisk into the pan. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Add chicken and heat through. Yield: 9 servings (2-1/4 quarts).

Enjoy your day!

Tea...I think it's time for tea...

I am feeling rather soft & feminine today so I am not bombarding you with tons of recipes. I just feel like sharing a few things that felt pretty & nice to me. As you can tell from the picture I picked for today...white is good. Check out the all while bedroom. It's lovely!

Maybe it the high ceiling, but this feels so light and airy to me...I could hang out here reading a book all day long!

My girlfriend, Mae, and I are always saying it would be so nice to be able to get together and chat over a cup of tea. I send this pic to her Facebook wall and asked her if she'd like to join me for a pot. It reminds me of the Westin Kierland Villas in Scottsdale, AZ for some reason. I know it's not the same but somehow it has the same "feel". Have I lost my mind? What's all this talk about FEELING???? Ha ha ha!

If country living is more to your liking, want to pull up a seat here? I warn you, those darn chairs are a son of a gun to get back out of once you have parked yourself in them! LOL

And if we stay and chat as long as I think we might, we may even need a second pot and to curl up snug as a bug in one of these:

And if we do stay that long, let's have a wee bite to eat while we finish our visit...

Lemon and Poppy Seed Bread

Ingredients

Nonstick cooking spray
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup poppy seeds
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup plain Greek-style yogurt or sour cream
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon finely shredded lemon peel
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice 1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions

1. Coat a 4- to 5-quart oval slow cooker or a 4-quart round slow cooker with cooking spray. In a large bowl stir together flour, poppy seeds, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

2. In a medium bowl whisk together sugar, eggs, oil, yogurt, milk, lemon peel, lemon juice, and vanilla until sugar dissolves. Add sugar mixture all at once to flour mixture. Stir just until combined (mixture should still be slightly lumpy). Spoon batter into prepared slow cooker.

3. Cover and cook on high-heat setting for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until top appears set. Turn off slow cooker. Carefully remove lid so condensation from lid does not drip onto bread. Cover opening of slow cooker completely with paper towels; place lid on top. Cool for 10 to 15 minutes. Run a knife around edges of slow cooker; remove bread from cooker. Cool completely on a wire rack.

Bear with me, my mind is scattered today!

Remember how I was talking about aprons the other day? I found a nice easy pattern for a full length apron. Check out this site for the step by step instructions!

http://www.stonegableblog.com/2010/07/apron-tutorial.html

Ever have those days when really nothing will do for supper, except breakfast? I saw this the other day and simply had to add it to my bag of tricks. It's nicer than the usual breakfast materials I throw on a plate & pretty enough to feel proud of if I sprinkled a few berries on the plate.

Eggs & Bacon Pancakes

1 lb sliced bacon
2 cups Original Bisquick® Mix
1 cup milk
6 eggs
Salt and pepper to taste
Real maple or maple-flavored syrup

1. Cut bacon slices into 1/2-inch pieces. Cook in skillet or microwave until desired crispness is reached.

2. Meanwhile, heat griddle or skillet over medium-high heat or electric griddle to 375°F; grease with cooking spray, vegetable oil or shortening. (Surface is ready when a few drops of water sprinkled on it dance and disappear.)

3. In medium bowl, stir together Bisquick® mix, milk and 2 of the eggs until well blended. Stir three- fourths of the cooked bacon into batter.

4. For each pancake, pour about 1/3 cup batter onto hot griddle. Cook until bubbles break on surface and edges just begin to dry. Turn; cook until golden brown.

5. While pancakes are cooking, in 8- to 10-inch skillet, cook remaining 4 eggs and remaining one-fourth of the cooked bacon over medium heat until scrambled. Add salt and pepper to taste.

6. Remove pancakes from griddle. Using biscuit cutter or round cookie cutter, cut a circle in center of every other pancake. Stack cut pancake over whole pancake on serving plate. Fill hole with eggs and bacon. Serve warm with syrup.
Makes 4 servings (2 pancakes each)


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Remember me talking about vertical growing and container gardening? Well, I saw this and thought...AMAZING! I absolutely have to use this for a small herb garden...even someone in an apartment could manage this!!

These were the instructions that went with it:

Vertical Herb Garden from
http://www.birdsandblooms.com/Backyard-Projects/Small-Garden-Projects/Vertical-Herb-Garden

Herbs are planted vertically in this DIY shoe caddy project.
Kirsten Sweet

Materials for your vertical herb garden:

Cloth shoe caddy
Potting soil or compost
Herbs or plants of your choice Rod, hooks or nails for hanging

1. Choose your herbs or plants that you want planted in your vertical herb garden. Because there are lots of pouches, this is a good time to experiment with things you haven’t tried before. Bonnie Plants offers a variety of herbs to choose from.

2. Decide on a location for your vertical herb garden. A fence or the side of a garage or shed are some good options.

3. Use nails or screws to attach the caddy directly to the wall where it will hang, or use a shower curtain rod and hooks. Just make sure whatever you use will be able to support the weight of the soil, water, plants, any extra supplies and the caddy itself.

4. Check the drainage of the pouches before planting by pouring in some water. If there’s not sufficient drainage in the fabric, poke a few small holes in the bottom of each pouch.

5. Fill the pouches with soil or compost, but leave about an inch between
the top of the pouch and the soil. Add the herbs, plants or seeds. And watch your new vertical herb garden grow!

Make plant tags for your vertical herb garden:

1. Round up some fabric scraps, ultra-firm stabilizer and iron-on adhesive.

2. Adhere the stabilizer to the middle of the fabric (leave enough fabric around the edges to fold over) using an iron and the adhesive. Cut triangles out of the corners so you can make a nice fold. Attach the flaps with iron-on adhesive.

3. Attach a piece of canvas or other heavy cloth to the front of the tag so you can label it. Use a permanent marker to write the plant name.

4. Repeat steps 1 through 3 and make as many tags as necessary!

Would this not make a totally awesome gift for a new gardener or a new home owner?

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Before I go off on a couple of other topics, check these out...aren't they great? I particularly like the Seven Cardinal Rules!

You certainly can't say I don't give you something to think about with my little blog! LOL

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Now that Labor Day is crowding the week, I have started seeing some pretty nice dishes to consider for both the fall and Thanksgiving.

I know...but I really, really want to tell you about them! I'll be brief though and just give you the links to us IF you are interested. Here's what I saw:

1. Aunt B's Kitchen had a Carrot and Red Lentil soup. I personally can't stand cumin so I plan to substitute chili powder. Here is the link for the recipe:

http://auntbbudget.blogspot.ca/2012/04/carrot-and-red-lentil-soup.html

2. The second dish that sounded yummy was an Apple-Sausage-Stuffed Squash. If you don't like the idea of pork you could use ground beef, chicken turkey or even TVP! Here is a link to the recipe:

http://modernmrscleaver.com/2011/10/04/apple-sausage-stuffed-squash/

3. This would make an awesome Thanksgiving side dish...if you can wait that long to try it! :-D I like the fact that it is both quick & simple for what's normally a busy, busy day! Here's the link:

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Did you know daisies came in any other color besides white? Check this out...it's called a Gerbia Daisy. Pretty funky daisy if I do say so myself!

Well, let's try this again!

I think I need to make this a permanent part of my psyche...so I put it up this morning as a not so subtle reminder to myself. LOL

I saw this picture and it reminded me of that saying, "When God closes a door, he opens a window". Giving up my participation in the financial blog feels like a door is closing for me and I feel sad that this part of my journey is finished for now but I also wonder what the open window will allow into my life now. The last six months I have been dealing with one big door closure & I really didn't need another so soon on the heels of it.

I found this quick bread yesterday and thought it might be a nice quick bread to surprise Larry with mid-February when you can hardly remember what a strawberry tastes like let alone what a strawberry smells like. Larry loves a muffin or a couple slices of a quick bread for breakfast - I think he'll love this 'cause strawberries are his all time favorite fruit.

Strawberry Banana Bread

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 medium banana, divided (mash half – about 1/4 cup mashed banana; slice the other half – about 10 thin slices)
1/4 cup canola oil
1 egg white, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup strawberries, diced (use frozen strawberries, thawed and diced; or try mixing berries)

Preheat oven to 350F and prepare a 9×5-inch loaf pan by either lining it with foil, allowing for overhang to easily lift out the bread or by spraying well with cooking spray.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugars, baking soda, cinnamon and stir to combine.

Slice a banana in half and mash one half with a fork and slice the other half into thin discs. Add the mashed banana to the dry ingredients and stir.

Add the oil, beaten egg white, vanilla and stir until just combined. Gently fold in 3/4 cup strawberries. Pour batter into prepared pan and top with 1/4 cup strawberries and banana slices, pressing them very gently into the surface of the batter.

Bake for 45 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean (Depending on moisture content bananas and berries, cooking times may vary from 40 to 50 minutes).

Allow bread to cool before removing it from the pan. Slice and serve as is, or add butter, cream cheese, jelly, or frosting, if desired. Store extra bread in an airtight container on the counter top or store in the freezer for up to three months.

Notes: I suspect you could use this batter as muffin batter. I’d bake for 18-20 minutes at 350F and start watching them closely from there.

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I was reading about container gardening and came across this and thought to myself, when I am planning our container garden & raised beds, I also need to think about how we set up an irrigation system & whether or not we want to put it on a timer. We may have to water some of our plants by hand but it would be nice if we didn't have to do all of it by hand.

I remember a gal, Kathleen, talking to me a number of years back about how the seed companies are modifying plants so that "saving seeds" from an existing plant no longer works for planting the following year. Then I saw this chart & thought ... hmmm ... talk about a strangle hold on the industry & worse still - how many of these seeds are for already genetically modified plants? It seriously makes you stop and think about our food chain in general. With the US experiencing the worst droughts in over 50 years, I wonder just how much tinkering they are going to do?

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I think I am seriously falling in love with Southern Decor! I have always loved southern food (take for instance shrimp and grits or collard greens with my eggs benedict! Check out these kitchens...

I love that sink! I could also get used to this kitchen table in a heck of a hurry!

On a more somber note, I am hoping all the girls that I chat with on various blogs that are in the way of Isaac with stay safe. So many of them were talking about the hurricane preparedness steps that they were taking this weekend. I was surprised, but I am not sure why, that their homes have solid wood shutters on the windows, inside the house, with boards to keep them closed like you'd see on a a barn door. Then they board up the outside of the windows as well. I know about boarding up the outside from having our family condo on the Gulf Coast but I had no idea that they had interior shutters in their homes as well. Another thing that surprised me that most of them as part of the prepping were making sure they they had their rifle ready and plenty of ammunition. I guess if you face this sort of devastation year after year, you get pretty darned good about prepping!

One of the gal's uploaded a picture of her pantry...check this out! Can you imagine how many hours she has spent standing at the kitchen counter this last week just cutting and peeling before canning all these quarts upon quarts of food for the winter. I take my hat off to the gals who do this year after year, not out of desire but rather necessity. WOW!

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While I was enjoying some amazing pantry shots, I can across this slow cooker cornbread recipe and it really doesn't get much more Southern than that does it?

Home Style Corn Bread

Cook Time: 4-4.5 hours on LOW 1-2 hours on HIGH Slow Cooker (4 - 4.5 Quarts)

Yields: 6-8 servings

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 1/4 to 1/2 clove cayenne pepper 1 egg
1 cup evaporated milk
6 tablespoons butter, melted

Directions

1. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and seasonings.

2. In a small bowl, mix the egg, milk, and butter. Pour the wet into the dry ingredients and stir until just incorporated. Do not over-stir.

3. Place the batter into well greased stoneware, cover, and cook on LOW for 4 to 4 1/2 hours or HIGH for 1-2 hours, until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

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To close out today's entry, I thought I'd share some succulents...what the hell is a succulent? I haven't a clue but obviously these are some:

and a reminder how very easy charity can be!

I have an assortment of things to chat about...

I guess the picture kind of says it all! Is there anything that makes your mouth water quite the way fresh tomatoes do? I saw this salad and just wanted to gobble it right off my computer screen!

Height-of-Summer Tomato Salad

Serves 6

We’ve taken the classic tomato-basil combination and turned it into an easy-to-eat salad (no knives necessary) that showcases the incredible flavor of sun-ripened summer tomatoes. Make the dressing ahead, and let sit overnight in the fridge to maximize flavor.

Dressing

2⁄3 cup fresh basil leaves, plus more for garnish
3 cloves garlic, minced (1 Tbs.)
2 1⁄2 Tbs. olive oil

Salad

12 oz. heirloom or other peak-season tomatoes, cut into different shapes
1 medium cucumber, peeled, halved, and sliced
1⁄4 small red onion, thinly sliced
1 1⁄2 oz. ricotta salata, crumbled

1. To make Dressing: Purée basil and garlic with 1/2 tsp. olive oil in food processor. Stir in remaining olive oil.

2. To make Salad: Toss together tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, and ricotta salata in large bowl. Pour Dressing over mixture, and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Garnish with basil leaves.

from Vegetarian Times magazine, July/August 2010 p.59

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Or if you are a little more adventurous, here's a Gazpacho Salad. I love Gazpacho soup passionately, I don't see why this wouldn't ring the same bell!

Gazpacho Salad

1 lb Grape Tomatoes, or cherry tomatoes, halved (about 4 cups)
1 Medium-sized English Cucumber, peeled, halved lengthwise, chopped (about 2 cups)
2 stalks Celery, halved lengthwise, thinly sliced (about 1-1⁄4 cups)
1 Small Green Bell Pepper, seeded, chopped (about 1-1⁄4 cups)
1 Small Red Onion, chopped (about 1⁄2 cup)
1 clove Garlic, minced
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
1 Tbsp Red Wine Vinegar
2 tsp Fresh Lemon Juice
1 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Ground Black Pepper
1/8 tsp Hot Pepper Sauce, or to taste

Directions:

Mix all ingredients in a large serving bowl. Toss well and serve. Yields about six 1-1/3 cups servings.

Helpful Tips:

If you make this recipe in advance, wait to add the Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, lemon juice and salt until just before serving so that the vegetables won't weep too much. When you serve the salad, lay a few lettuce leaves or shredded some lettuce and put it on the plate before putting the salad on the plate. It's attractive and will soak up the liquid from the salad. Use whatever lettuce you like, but a dark leafy lettuce will give you added nutrition without adding calorie or points. For low sodium diets: omit the salt or reduce it to 1/4 tsp. Bottled lemon juice can be substituted for the fresh lemon juice. Lime juice can be substituted for the lemon juice. Red bell pepper can be substituted for the green bell pepper.

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If you are interested in food dehydrating...check out this website! I might give it a shot just for fun! :-D

http://www.prepperideas.com/drying-foods/

and I saw this & immediately thought, I need to make some of these! I guess I am not the only spastic person that can't seem to hang onto a wet piece of soap while showering. Ha ha ha! How do people come up with these things? Swammee says, "I see a spell at your sewing table in your near future!" LOL

For a gal who was just talking about her love of all things "sardines" in the last few days on a different blog...this just had to make it into the cutsie pile for today. Isn't this just a riot? I called it Sexy Sardines!

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Here's a handy little tip for the gals that enjoy canning in the crowd...I marked it down so I don't forget the formula. Amazing what I see online in a day isn't it?

I was thinking about our vacation in 2014 yesterday, because we'll be using Air Miles to fly somewhere. I wonder if we should go to the Maritimes again? or would it be nicer to take Larry somewhere in Europe for his first time? We could always do my trip to Savannah, Hilton Head and Charleston...decisions, decisions. I saw this picture and it reminded me of all the lunches I had while I was in Europe at 21. I haven't been back so I am sure it'll be like seeing it with fresh eyes for me as well. I'd stop at a deli and buy a loaf of bread, a hunk of cheese, some cold meats, something to drink and find the prettiest place I could to enjoy my meal. I was walking my feet into the ground all day every day, exploring museums, galleries, gardens, churches and the like so my lunch was a substantial meal as it had to keep me going until had a late supper in the evening. Isn't it funny what a loaf of bread can evoke in terms of memories?

And after that fond little day dream about strolling throught the streets of Europe, I came crashing back to North America and cauliflower - I can eat it raw by the carload but cooked...blah! They have a nasty consistency when they are cooked! I don't care how much cheese sauce you want to throw at it (memories of Mom's cauliflower) - just give it to me RAW!

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I just want to leave you with this:

I apologize for any spelling or typos you find in these blog pages. I haven't got spell check on this editor - totally a pain!

There is a very big part of me that loves all things old!

When reading the Facebook feed I saw a picture of an ice chest that held a 15 lb. block of ice and kept things cold for a week. Refrigeration is nice but it is sure a heap of a lot more expensive than a weekly delivery of ice! Sometimes in our effort to revolutionize we lose things that weren't broken and didn't need fixing. This one is just like the one my Grandma Poznikoff had...reminded me of her and days gone by.

When was the last time you saw a clothes line? No, we have by-laws outlawing them and now we have to run a dryer instead. And while I am on a tear...whatever happened to wearing aprons in the kitchen?

Today my little bit of creativity will be in the kitchen. Larry will be busy in the afternoon so I am going to make a nice cold supper...ham, cottage cheese, oodles of raw veggies & dip. For dessert we've got fresh blueberries. While the nice weather is here we'll enjoy this kind of meal but just let the weather change & I wouldn't thank you for a cold supper. Enjoy your Saturday, whatever you are doing!