Author: Dackel Princess

Autumn Preserving

After a summer filled with sunshine and very little rain, the last two days have been gray, foggy and sort of yucky. It’s not exactly raining, but it’s not the sort of weather that makes you want to go out and play in the sun. Even the dogs would rather sleep in their little beds, rather than go outside.

Thursday, I saw a friend of mine. She has a cottage that she and her husband go to on a lake each summer. We try to grab lunch here or there, when she is home to do laundry, but it’s been a crazy summer, and we just haven’t synced our schedules, and it was so nice to see her.

Also on my agenda the next few days is one last batch of Moon Glow Pickles and be done with it! After all, quite soon, apples will need to be sauced and grapes pressed for jelly.

I picked up some food prep gloves when I was out yesterday, as the deep slice in my finger (let’s just say, I was thinking stitches on Wednesday, after my knife accident!) will preclude me from getting that finger in any sort of pickling juice, or jelly!

So, the weekend will be busy, and I will need to re-organize the freezer so I can store all the apple sauce! It’s never dull when you can and freeze the foods you grow.

The Friday Five

Another week has flown by. I think it is like that because of the long Holiday weekend, last week. But here we are entering the second week of September. Anyway, here are 5 things going on in my life.

  1. I’m getting my hair cut and dipped in the fountain of youth! I always love this day because, for a couple of hours I get pampered!
  2. I have a vegetable drawer full of cucumbers. After my appointment this morning, I plan to come home and make Moon Glow Pickles!
  3. I have three episodes left of “Homeland” to watch and then we have to wait until December for new episodes! I may go back and re-watch the entire series again so I can focus more on the character development.
  4. There has been no communication from the contractor since his disaster and the flooding of my master bathroom. I will give him a few more day before he gets another letter.
  5. I’ve discovered a woman who is on Facebook, Youtube and has a blog. Her name is Meredith and she is absolutely hilarious. Here is a link to my favorite routine.

HOMELAND

I was thinking yesterday, that my daughter knows me better than I sometimes think she does! For example, a few years back she mentioned that I should be watching, “HOMELAND” on Showtime. I sort of pooh-poohed the idea, and forgot about it.

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Then in June we received a letter from Amazon Prime, that our streaming would be affected on our 2011 Vizio TV starting September 1st and we would need a “Fire Stick” to continue watching programs.

Well, we  hemmed and hawed, but got the stick, and after it arrived, when I was learning to to use it, I discovered that since we had the “Fire Stick”, we could pair it up with our “Showtime Account” and watch some of their programming when we want to.

The first thing Hubby and I did was start watching “HOMELAND”! I figured that if I liked it , great! If not, then I wasn’t committed.

I soon learned I was totally committed to the program!

Not only is the show written well, but the acting is unparalleled! Claire Danes, Damien Lewis, Rupert Friend and Mandy Patinkin, are all incredible actors giving us characters that we can relate to in a variety of ways.

Claire Danes, as Carrie, is perfect as the incredibly smart, intuitive, hard working CIA Agent. Ms. Danes’ acting is top notch and I understand she has won many awards, Including Emmy’s and Golden Globes.

So, since the end of June Hubby and I have been watching an episode a night. That was until the ends of Season 3 and into Season 4! Suddenly we were watching 2 or 3 episodes a night, as we simply couldn’t turn it off, the stories were becoming more compelling and moving so fast!

Last night we realized that in 9 more episodes, we will have caught up with the Series and will have to wait until January for more episodes. Ugh!

I guess my point here is that, my daughter knew all along I would love this show, and she was correct!

I would also recommend this show to anyone and everyone. (Unless you are under the age of 18, as there is graphic language, violence and sex). Let me know if you give “HOMELAND” a try and if you like it.

 

Oma’s Icebox Cake

I decided to make a favorite from my childhood to share at Mandy’s Labor Day Barbecue! It’s an Icebox Cake!

I love Ice Box Cakes. My Grandma Honey used to make them and they are so easy. Here are the directions:

Ingredients:
2 cups heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 package (9 ounces) chocolate wafers
Chocolate curls, optional

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Directions:
In a large bowl, beat cream until soft peaks form. Add sugar and vanilla; beat until stiff. Spread heaping teaspoonfuls on the cookies. Make six stacks of cookies; turn stacks on edge and place on a serving platter, forming a 14-in.-long cake.
Frost top and sides with remaining whipped cream. Garnish with chocolate curls if desired. Refrigerate for 4-6 hours before serving. Yield: 10-12 servings.  

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This is such a cool and refreshing dessert on a hot day!.

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Savannah loved it and actually ate two slices. That made me so happy because as a child I always loved this, and it always tasted like it was made with love.

Pizza Night

Last night I had an idea. You see, I’d been making garden fresh tomato sauce all day. You know a slow simmer. So I thought what the heck, why not make pizza for dinner! So I:

  1. Made a nice big yeast risen pizza dough. And spead across the 20 inch pizza pan.
  2. Spread it with my delicious garden tomato sauce.
  3. Added some sauteed hamburger and sausage.
  4. Added thinly sliced vidalia onion, and green and red pepper.
  5. Carefully spread mozzarella cheese all around the pizza, until well covered.

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Placed the pizza into a pre-heated 425 degree oven for about 20-25 minutes, until cheese was nicely melted and starting to brown a little. I pulled it out, let it set up for a few minutes, cut and ate!  
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All I can say is YUM!

Friday Five

Another week has flown by and here we are, September 1st! I think my Christmas shopping must start very soon. Here is a little bit about my week.

  1. I felt a little tired on Monday, and woke in the night with a high temperature. I didn’t freak out, just took aspirin, went to bed and sipped ginger ale.
  2. Wednesday found me feeling better, and the fever was gone. It is so funny how this thing comes on at the drop of a hat and departs pretty much the same way.
  3. I’m making another batch of tomato sauce tomorrow. I have so many tomatoes to use up before they go bad.
  4. There was a bear in our part of the “hood”! My neighbor saw him up a tree. When he heard her dog, who thankfully was on a lead, the bear climbed down and scurried off!
  5. Going to see my daughter’s family and friends at an end of the summer party. I am really looking forward to that!

And how was your week?

TBT: The Dresses Mom Made

My sister got married about nine days after my thirteenth birthday in November. My mom made all the bridesmaids dresses, and I selected this pretty pink color. I was Melodie’s Maid of Honor. Despite the fact that we were in the Autumn/Winter season, Mel wanted pastel colors for her bridesmaids.

Mom did an awesome job and I loved my dress and felt so beautiful in it!

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Mom also made my cousin Janet her dress for the wedding.

 

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And our dearest friend, Judi, that I have known all my life. Judi and her family were close friends of our family and we spent many happy holidays together.

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I’m Still Here

I am alive. This may sound like a common and usual thing to most. but I must tell you that the last 26 hours have been very rough.

I have an auto-immune disease that can strike at any moment. Yesterday, at 5 AM I woke with shaking chills. They were so bad, I could hardly stand. I also was so cold that no matter how many blankets I had on, the shaking did not stop. I got up briefly, as I was determined to get the thermometer. I had to know what my temperature was. At first it was 101.2 Two hours later it was up to 102.8 (F).

I felt weak as a kitten and every part of my body ached, as though I had been in a boxing ring with Mohamed Ali!

I shivered, I slept, I tried to keep drinking. Arnie and Greta never left my side, as I huddled in bed, with the drone of the TV in the background for company.

By dinnertime, my temperature had begun to drop. I managed a bowl of good old Campbell’s Chicken Noodle Soup, crackers and more aspirin!

This morning I woke and my temperature is down to 99.8. So I am doing well. One more day in my pajamas and I’ll be back to normal.

It is a strange thing, this auto-immune disease. It can strike at any time and although a fever is almost always involved, there are times other symptoms come along with it. It’s like a bad case of the flu,

This time it was just the fever and weakness. Hubby pitched in, went to get my ginger ale, made me soup and fed the dogs.

I think today will be spent in my pajamas again. By tomorrow I should be on my feet and doing much better.

Perfect Pork Chops

I was looking around for a good, never fail recipe. I used to only use Shake N Bake, but lately my chops were dry and tough. So I found this never fail recipe and then expanded on it, which is what I usually do. Here are the tricks and tips!

  1. Use a lot of garlic! You can use fresh and mince it all up and that is fabulous, but recently I found something new for this type of cooking. Granulated Garlic. Not Garlic Salt, just plain granulated garlic!
  2. Powdered Rosemary leaves. I use a spice grinder to get the dried leaves nice and fine. Remember, don’t be shy with the seasoning!

Pork Loin Chop Recipe Ingredients:

  1. Pork Loin Chops
  2. 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
  3. 6-8 cloves Garlic (rough chopped) or Granulated Garlic
  4. Fresh Rosemary (or dried leaves)
  5. Sea Salt and Pepper, to taste

Directions:

  1. Season both sides of chop before cooking–and don’t be timid with the seasoning–it makes all the difference! I often use just salt and pepper, but experiment with your favorite seasonings, too–every now and then I’ll season up chops with ground ginger and saute them with onion and sliced, fresh ginger–it’s pretty darn good.
  2. Heat olive oil in a cast iron skillet (I love my good old fashioned skillet that my cousin gave me!)–not smoking hot, but pretty darn hot–we want to sear the pork and seal in the flavor.
  3. Place chops in the skillet; they should sizzle when they hit the pan.
  4. Cook chops 3-4 minutes on one side and then turn. This is for chops approx. 1″ thick–adjust cooking times according to the size of the chop you use.
  5. Cook chops 3-4 minutes on second side, then remove skillet from stove-top and slide skillet into oven preheated to 350 degrees F. Cook another 4-5 minutes and return to stove-top.
  6. Remove chops from skillet and set aside to rest, just a few minutes

    That’s it…super easy and super flavorful–it’s a great way to cook up a juicy chop without drying it out, so give this recipe a go and let me know what you think!