SNAPPING BEANS AND OTHER RANDOM THOUGHTS

The crisp air in the morning stands as a reminder the season to stock up, and put away is upon us. The art of canning has seen a resurgence in the last few years; a need has risen to conserve, preserve, and economize. Community gardens have sprung up in small town America and people seem to have a desire to reconnect to the ways that shaped our families, our lives, our way of eating. For a child not to know the flavor burst of a fresh strawberry or the juice that drips down your chin with the first bite of a tomato warm from the garden is distressing to me.

Such musings float through my mind, as I snap beans.
I can imagine some people think ~ 'snapping beans?' ~'who the heck snaps beans?' ~ 'WHAT is snapping beans anyway? ~
Snapping beans is the action you perform on green beans by 'snapping' them in uniform pieces in preparation for home canning. It usually consists of a large pan of whole green beans sitting on your lap with a small bowl at your side for collecting end pieces and strings to be discarded. This task of SNAPPING GREEN BEANS should be an undertaking with a favorite female friend, sister or Mom.
Mom and Grandma had an edge over anyone I know when it came to snapping beans. Multi tasking was not in their vocabulary, but these two women invented the concept. They could snap beans, cook dinner, smack a smart mouthed child, discuss the neighborhood gossip, and clean house all at the same time. They were amazing women. They accomplished more in one day than most people can think about in a week. But while they were snapping beans there was something that came over them as they methodically broke those little beans in segments. They seemed at peace, happy, and relaxed. They let the worries that plagued them drop away, and for the hour or so they sat on the porch preparing the beans for canning, I sat at their feet and learned that snapping beans was more than snapping beans. It became an opportunity to breath deeply, appreciate your loved ones, be grateful for all you have received and reflect over the wonder that such a small thing as snapping beans can transform your life and bring tears to your eyes.

Liebster Blog Award

Blog Award




I am honored to receive this award!
I was surprised to receive this award!
And now I have an opportunity to share my voice about some of the creative, innovative women that write and share their lives on the airwaves.
But what exactly is a ‘Liebster Blog’ award? The word  'liebster' is German in origin.
It means ‘favourite’ or ‘dearest’ in English. I searched to find the origin of this award but have only found that it is handed out by its initial recipient to 3 to 5 other blogs the recipient deems to be worthy of it, provided the ones chosen have less than two hundred followers.
Paying it forward in the true sense of the word!

The rules are as follows:

1. Show your gratitude to the blogger who gave you the award and link back to the person who gave it to you.
2. Reveal your top 5 picks and let them know by leaving a comment on their blog.
3. Copy and paste the award on your blog.
4. Have faith that your followers will spread the love to other bloggers.
5. And most of all – have fun with this and spread the love!

And so without further adieu, my first task as a Liebster recipient is to shout out a hearty
THANK YOU! to Jennifer at Cedar House Soap
She is an amazing young woman, wife and mother, grounded firmly in family, with a wonderful sense of design and creativity. I love the chats we have about everything from the quality of compost we have in the garden, chickens, chicken soup, kids and everything in between. And I am flattered that you think we have a lot in common! Thank You !

It is my pleasure to pass this award to 3 recipients:
Wanna Be A Country Cleaver
Her blog is refreshing and fun with recipes, banter and photos!

Out My Window I felt an instant connection to the woman that writes this blog. Being caught between the world of technology and the basic ways of a life gone by, I had to nominate her blog. Unfortunately I am unable to connect with her blog. But I urge you to take a look at it. I promise to keep trying!

Post Road Vintage If you love farmhouse meets shabby this blog is for you. It is bright and airy and has some great ideas for decorating! 

Thanks again to Jennifer at Cedar House soaps!

The Gopher Buzz

JUST A QUICK NOTE ON THE GOPHER WARS....

Happily they have moved from the garden.

My defenses have not won the war, but the enemy has retreated to other parts of our yard.
Not what I had hoped for, but one I can live with.
The stuff that smells like garlic and caster oil has been applied 3 times, and just for good measure we have added an additional chatter thingy to beef up the noise. My collateral damage has been small, two thyme plants and surprisingly my chive plants. AND... I don't have a problem with rabbits...unlike my frustrated neighbor that lost all her zucchinis!

Honestly .... a GOPHER with onion breath??

The Weapons of WAR!

We have all seen them.... the mounds of finely ground dirt pushed up in the middle of our lawns that makes us wish our rototiller could be competent enough to make the soil in our gardens that loose and airy. But there is a price to pay when you see this phenomenon... little creatures of the dark have colonized underground to make a gardeners life unbearable.
My newly planted tomato plants have been literally pulled underground, hostas have been eaten from the roots up, once flourishing cone flower plants have wilted and fallen over sideways. Hours of research on the Internet have only given me a penny's worth of hope...
The product in the picture (or one like it) was endorsed by a gardening guy on television, after a $1,000.00 dollar loss with his newly planted hosta beds. HOPE LOOMED!

The ingredients promising: Castor oil, garlic oil, and with a healthy dash of cinnamon ~ nicely infused on granules of fullers earth. Safe for garden application, (a big plus with those of us that use organic principals of gardening) and while it was $17.00 for this jug, it covers 7,000 square feet. Broadcast it and water for at lease 30 minutes....
The smell alone ran me out of my own garden, surely it would work on gophers!

Fast forward a week ~  the decision was made to boost the application of smelly stuff ... and ADD a device that chatters like a distress signal the gophers make... "proven to work".... Hummmm
"Proven to work"?? Not so much... Now my husband is in on this war and WAR HE HAS WAGED!

War can be pricey and I have a new appreciation for guerrilla warfare. Defined by Wikipedia as: "a form of irregular warfare in which a small group of combatants (that would be my husband and me) use military tactics, such as ambushes, sabotage, raids, the element of surprise, and extraordinary mobility to harass a larger and less-mobile traditional army" (that would be the gophers).

We have become acutely aware, we are definitely amateurs!

So this morning while the husband was surveying the garden and he spied the elusive dirt movement... with the .22 in hand he snuck to the garden gate. The dog knew what was up and hid under the bed....
But they are wily little rodents and while you can sneak quietly... you are never quite quiet enough....... The mission now is ~ WALK SOFTLY AND CARRY A BIGGER GUN!!

Spring Arrives

It has been awhile... 

The new border is in progress ~ the old Columbia River stump, carved and smoothed with years of weather, sand and water has a new home with hostas, echinacea, and an old wheelbarrow filled with color.


 The snows have receded, the river is flowing at flood stage, and from the many things planted this year, a few are pushing their way through the ground. Our spring weather has been disappointing but the in spite of the cool wet June, the garden's makeover has continued and the lawn and vegetable garden have shaped up nicely. The "service gates" have been installed and the daily walk abouts  in the garden commences, with ever vigilance to weeding, gophers, watering and growth.

Futile to Garden.....I think I will Bake Something!

April 26th... that is all I have to say!

I Believe That April Showers Bring May Flowers!

  Butter Cup Squash, San Marzano Tomatoes and my favorite, the Mortgage Lifter Tomatoes wait and patiently grow in my window sill.  The garden shed, seen through the window, has been cleaned of its winter accumulation and just wants the sun to shine again.

THE LOGGER'S LUNCH BOX

From the time my Dad came home from WWII he kept a garden, and worked in the woods, and for the years before I was born, Dad and  Mom worked in the logging camps in North Idaho. 
About the time I was born, the camps had closed and had given way to travel to and from the wood in the 'crummys', a term that evolved from the bedrolls logger's kept at camp to the transportation to and from the job site.
It was then  Dad started carrying a lunch pail and thermos, generously packed with fat sandwiches, cookies, a  small jar of home canned fruit, or fresh fruit and whatever else was good and seemed right for snacks. And ALWAYS when Dad's work day was over and he came home there was treat left in the lunch pail for me! I loved opening that lunch pail to see what was left.

Mom's tried and true cookie recipes will never be changed.  But I am adventurous baker ever searching for new recipes, ideas and flavors.
This recipe was born from and idea, a can of soda and a tribute to a proud group of men that worked hard, played hard and ate heartily!


THE LOGGER'S LUNCH BOX COOKIES

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees

2 oranges
1 cup shortening
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2  large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup oat flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups quick oats
1 cup coconut
1 cup dried cranberries

Zest both oranges, being careful not to zest the 'pith' or white part of the peel.
Juice both oranges and put in small sauce pan. Add the cranberries and simmer over low heat until cranberries are plump. Drain and cool for 10-15 minutes.
Creme the shortening, sugars and vanilla until mixture looks like wet sand.
Add eggs one at a time until well blended.
Add the vanilla.
In a separate bowl, combine the all purpose flour, oat flour, salt, baking powder and soda. Rough sift to combine.
Add to wet ingredients and mix well.
Add oatmeal, coconut, and cranberries and mix to combine.
Add orange zest and stir.

Drop by walnut sized balls on lightly greased cookies sheets and bake for 15-20 minutes until light brown. Do not overbake.

THE CAST IRON OBSESSION

When I was growing up this wonderful old stove kept the kitchen warm in winter during long cold days.

Something was always cooking on this stove, and more often than not it was cooked in cast iron. Long before I moved into my childhood home, I began collecting pieces of this coveted cookware.

I have learned, that to cook with cast iron and get superior results, you must cook ON cast iron, or use a cast heat diffuser on gas burners or electric elements.

Cast iron requires even heat, and that can only be obtained by using it on a surface that heats evenly ~ as in a cast iron surface.

Using the old Griswold and Wagner pieces requires care and a process known as seasoning. Gently heat the pan, and wipe the interior evenly with oil. Leave it in the oven for a few hours on low and re-oil before putting it away. I don't scrub my cast iron in soapy water, but you can rinse it in hot water, dry it well and re-season with oil. If you have food that has cooked on and is stubborn, use a generous spoon full of salt and a little oil and rub vigorous in a circular motion to loosen the debris. Rinse well and re-season... again! Before you know it you will have a pan that will perform better than non stick cookware!

These old fry pans, roasters and dutch ovens have been revered for years. Just check the prices in antique stores for a testament to the collectibles' worth and availability. Specialty pieces are becoming rare, like the waffle irons and ebilskiver  pans.

I use my old black heavy

fry pans almost daily. I can't imagine being without them. Whether sauteing or baking their performance is consistent and dependable and provides the satisfaction of knowing they have years of experience doing their job well.

Spring is coming... Spring is Coming.... Spring is coming??

I am impatient... antsy....anxious...ready for spring....ready for green grass to mow....garden to plant....flower beds to weed...

THE PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES

This is one of the first cookies I learned to bake.

The good ol', all American peanut butter cookie!

I remember the anticipation while waiting, as Mom rolled the little balls of cookie dough between her hands and placed it on the cookie sheet.

I couldn't wait to take a fork and press the crisscross pattern in the cookie. This design makes peanut butter cookies distinctive and the cookie can be identified by sight from across the kitchen!

I have tried several recipes, but I have found that time and again this simple set of ingredients make a great cookie and that after 50 or 60 years of untold batches baked, this recipe has withstood the test of taste and time.

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 cup white sugar

1 cup shortening (I use butter flavored Crisco)

2 eggs

1 cup peanut butter (I use Jif)

2 1/2 cups all purpose four

1 teaspoon soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 cup granulated sugar

Cream together brown sugar, white sugar, shortening. Add eggs separately beating well after each addition. Add vanilla. Add peanut butter and blend well.

Measure flour into a separate bowl. Add soda and salt and sift once to blend.

Add by spoonfuls to the wet batter, mixing well after each addition.

With about a tablespoon of dough, roll into a ball and place on cookie sheet. With a fork dampened with water, dip into 1/4 cup of sugar and press into cookie, making a crisscross pattern. Bake 9-11 minutes. Don't over bake! You want this cookie crisp on the outside and chewy on the inside!

Cool on a cookie sheet or get yourself a tall glass of milk and dunk away while still warm!

COLLECTED MEMORIES

There are times when I pull the old worn recipe box off the shelf and thumb through the various notes and recipe cards, choose what I want to bake and be on with my day.

Then there are days, like today, when it is cold, with snow covering the ground and the skys are steel grey, when nostalgia overtakes me and each recipe I pick up and read, brings back misty memories of baking and cooking at my Mother's side.

The Sugar Cookie Recipe she used all the time, simply listed the ingredients with no directions. The amounts overlapped each other on a no-line recipe card, the ink so faded out there were places on the card that could barely be read.

The first time I baked them I miss read the amounts of one ingredient and the cookies where so fragile they went "POOF" when you bit them! The look on my husband's face was priceless! The cookie simply disintegrated! I can see my Mom laughing as if she were beside me in the kitchen!

Her Pie Crust recipe and her Peanut Butter Cookie will never be substituted in my kitchen. These recipes are like a trusted friends, well received and counted on time after time.

I have kept the original scraps of paper and cards. I love the stains, creases, and scribbled notes. The handwritting is as familiar as the methods of cooking and baking. To re-write them on crisp clean cutesy recipe cards would somehow deface the integrity of her way in the kitchen. I just can't imagine her cakes would taste the same mixed and baked from anything but that time worn recipe.

Supreme Hot Cocoa Mix

This recipe was developed out of a simple need. On cold days when I have my four active grandsons outside playing and they need something hot to warm them up, the little packages of cocoa mix just were too expensive, and came up short on flavor.

I researched many recipes and tryed a number combinations with disappointing results.

This recipe is a culmination of a winter worth of experiments. It has been given a thumbs up by family members and is requested often.

Hot Cocoa Supreme

2 cups dry milk

3/4 to 1 cup white sugar

3/4 cup non-dairy creamer

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa

2.5 ounce package instant chocolate pudding mix

Blend all together in a large bowl

This will fit into a quart jar.

Add 1/3 to 1/2 cup to 10 ounces boiling water.

Stir to mix and enjoy!