The Dackel Princess

What I Did This Weekend

Our host is Gattina. Come join us and tell us what YOU did this past weekend!

This was the weekend of cooking! I seem to have spent more time in the kitchen than I usually do. Why is that, you might ask? Well, when I am nervous I cook and my cousin Janet was operated so I was a wreck. Happily, Janet is doing well, and later this week she should be well enough to go home, and then I will go down and help her out.n in an emergency on Saturday morning.

Okay, so here I go with what I did.

Friday I cooked, literally all day long. As you can tell from the previous post, it was literally mnon-stop from morning until the night!

Saturday was a nice day. I didn’t cook too much but I was preparing for our guests and the barbecue we had with our friends. That was so nice and relaxing, that even the dogs had a great time.

On Sunday, Hubby came in with another half a bushel of Macintosh apples and we cored them and cooked them up and made apple sauce.

I also discovered that I can download Kindle books to my computer! This is fabulous because it will mean that I can download books and enlarge the font! Yay!

Happy Monday, everyone!

Short Order Cook

It started with me cooking Hubby breakfast on Friday morning. I asked what he wanted and quickly whipped it up for him. I tidied the kitchen and then began the process of getting some cooking done.

Serious cooking.

Saturday we had friends over for a barbecue, and I needed to get the ribs set so that they could marinate. I was able to get that done pretty quickly, before I tackled the potato salad.

I tossed 5 pounds of potatoes in to boil with a half dozen eggs, and while that all cooked, I chopped the onion, celery for the potato salad as well as peppers and garlic that I needed for the Chili that I was also making.

Chili, you ask? Yes, Since I had all the juice from the tomatoes and I am literally inundated with Spaghetti Sauce, I decided to make a double batch of chili.

Once the vegetables were chopped and the potatoes were cooked, I set them aside to cool. Meanwhile, I started the Chili by sauteing all the vegetables and adding the ground meat. I browned that, added the tomato sauce and spices and set it on a low heat to cook.

I then made the potato salad and no sooner had I gotten all that put together, than it was lunch! I made Hubby a couple of hot-dogs with relish, onions and mustard and chips. Ate a quick lunch myself before working to clean up everything.

I was just finishing up the Chili in the mid afternoon when Hubby suggested that we make apple sauce! So we sliced and cored half a bushel of apples and cooked them down. We put them through the Foley Mill to remove any seeds and skin, and then added a tad of sugar and cinnamon. Yum! I froze eight quarts of sauce and put one container in the fridge.

Then Hubby wanted dinner. That was easy, he got Chili! I literally cooked the entire day on Friday, and I do not plan to cook much at all now over the weekend! Just a few little things. Like grill the ribs, and boil water for the corn on the cob.

I must share with you though, that my freezers are nearly full with all sorts of fruits and vegetables from the garden. Makes me feel kind of proud.

Saturday’s dinner went off without a hitch and we are all happily full tonight. Thanks to my pre-cooking, I was able to enjoy my guests and the food as well!

Never Forget

Today it is nine years since my country suffered attacks by Al–Qaeda, that forever changed my fellow Americans. It is still one of the saddest days of my life, so horrific that I am still unsure that I will ever recover.

On that fateful day, two French brothers were working in New York City making a documentary. Their film, is the best chronicle of that day. Many libraries have the film and you can check it out. If not go HERE and order it. Truly shocking and amazing.

I think everyone knows where they were on that day. They can tell you almost to the second where they were and what they were doing.

The day that our innocence died.

It makes me quite sad that so many people do not understand, or remember what happened that day. How often I have heard that these people are just like us and didn’t mean to hurt us.

Then I recall that this was intentionally done and the coordination of the event was for the largest number of deaths possible.

There have been some who refuse to give up. They stand up and they stand for all the goodness of the people in our country. They don’t allow people to lie to us, or to have us believe that we are all the same. Truly, there is evil in the world.

So remember those who died. Pray for their souls, but also remember the men who took those innocent lives, and the ones out there that would kill you as soon as look upon your face.

Please, Never Forget!

It’s the only protection that we have.

Greta and the Apple!

I just wanted to share this video of Greta as the week closes. I hope it will put a smile on your face.

Have a great weekend, Everyone!

Greta and the Apple from Dackel Princess Maribeth on Vimeo.

Fritz’s Bath

Hubby and I had hoped that Fritz escaped the horrors of Skunk smell, but after a day or two, decided that yes indeed, Fritz did have a lingering smell of skunk. Actually it was pointed out to me by someone I didn’t even know. A new Vet Tech at my Veterinarian’s Office when I brought Fritz in for his shots.

So since I could not disagree (really she was right!) I prepared my very own “De-Skunk Smell Bath Preparation”.

One

Two

Mix the douche powder with water as directed. (Be sure to get enough to cover your dog.) Then wet your dog all over with the douche solution.

Once the dog is completely wet with the douche solution, get out the bar of Dove soap for sensitive skin. Start working the bar of soap over the dog.

Rub the soap until you have a good lather. Make sure to work it into his coat until every single part of the dog is covered.

Now it’s time for the real fun. Get the hose. Turn on the water and start rinsing!

Remember, at some point the dog will shake and you too will be April Fresh!

In the end, the bath was a rousing success. Even Greta had to admit it, even though she stayed far away from the whole thing.

And Fritz is now beautiful, white as snow and smells deliciously clean!

Random Dozen

1. Describe the best sandwich in the world, according to you.

A Classic New York Reuben!

Rye bread lightly toasted, thousand Island dressing, corned beef, sauer kraut, and swiss cheese. And it’s a mile high! OMG! The best!

2. Which inspires you more: a good conversation, a song, a book or movie?

All of the above, depending on the message.

3. What is your favorite board game?

Scrabble.

4. As you grow older, are you more or less patient with small children?

More patient. Especially because I realize how fleeting time is.

5. Name one item you never let yourself run out of.

Oh dear, Just one? Well it would have to be eggs.

6. Do you agree with Tennyson’s assertion, “‘Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all?”

Are you kidding? Me? The ultimate in romanticists? I absolutely believe this. What is life for if not to have loved?

7. Name one national treasure or monument that you have visited.

I have visited so many, thanks to my curious Hubby. My favorite? Probably Mount Rushmore.

8. Which is more painful, to be disappointed in someone else or to be disappointed in yourself?

Myself, because ultimately it will mean I let someone else down.

9. What makes your kitchen uniquely yours?

We built our house and I designed it. So I would have to say, the layout of the kitchen, and the fact that it is all mine. Are there flaws? Yep! Never again would I deign a corner sink!

10. Are you a crafty person?

I used to be, but I do not think I am now.

11. What is your favorite traditional picnic or bbq (cookout) food?

Ribs, Ribs, Ribs!!!

12. Name one leisurely activity you enjoyed over Labor Day Weekend.

Cooking with Emily. To me, spending time like that with her, is the best!

Family of Friends

I have always believed that one can form a family of friends. I have been lucky enough, in this life to find many wonderful people that, although not related by blood to me, have become special and precious in their own way.

This is the relationship I have with Emily. A young woman who came into my life when she was just eleven years old. Her parents rented the house next door, and one day Emily came into the yard bringing back a dackel. I think it was Greta, although I cannot recall.

Before I knew it, I put her to work in the kitchen, as it was Peach season and I desperately needed the help!

After that we were pals and then friends and then family.

I’ve never tried to replace her parents. Goodness, they are both wonderful people, who love her very much, but I have tried to be a friend and someone that Emily could always count on. That is something that won’t change.

Emily grew to love the pups as much as I do. In fact, over the years she has “doggy sat” for me and helped me when the puppies arrived.

However, she has grown and her parents are moving west. We will be separated by a couple of time zones. At first I felt pretty sad, and then I realized that I can hop on a plane and go and visit her whenever she has a long weekend!

You see, no matter where she is, I know, and she knows that we are together in our hearts!

On Monday we spent some time going around the yard taking pictures together. Hubby helped so we could get some really nice ones.

I know she will come back, to the lake that we both love, and spend some time here again. Right now it’s time for her to go off on a new adventure.

Safely knowing, I will always be here, waiting for her to return and tell me all about it!

Love you, Em!

What Did You Do This Weekend?

Our host is Gattina. Come join us and tell us what YOU did this past weekend!

This was a great weekend for us here in the Dackel Princess House. Our very own Emily was here for the weekend and we did what we love to do the best when Emily is here!

We cooked and we baked and we played games and watched movies and we hugged dackels!

This morning we took a few more pictures. I was just awake, still in my nightgown and a jacket, as we had cold weather move in last night, so please forgive my somewhat disheveled appearance.

You can see how Greta helps me write my blog!

Then it was my turn to take pictures of Emily. The pups were spreading their love onto her, and she enjoyed every minute!

After this, Emily was off to visit with her other friends for the afternoon and I watched The US Open Tennis. Hubby has been complaining that he is “Tennis-d Out” and longs to watch almost anything else on the TV. He better be careful or I will put on my favorite junkie TV show, “Ice Road Truckers”! He really hates that!

So with family, friends and dogs, my weekend was nice and relaxed and very, very, full of love!

Jam Making

Today at the Dackel Princess house we spent the day cooking. Our big project was the preparation, cooking and canning of our very own Plum Jam!

As you know, Emily is here, and today her boyfriend, Ben came over as well and the four of us set about putting it all together.

In the end, we had eleven half pints of Jam, and it came out very well! Best of all, we had fun doing it!

Maribeth’s Spaghetti Sauce

4 pounds of ripe tomatoes
1 cup water

Cut the stem end from the tomato and cut into quarters. Place in a large pot, cover and bring to boil. Turn down and simmer tomatoes for 1-2 hours, until very tender.

While tomatoes are cooking Chop up:

1 ½ cups onion
1 cup green pepper
1 cup red pepper
1 cup celery
1 cup carrots
smash 6 cloves garlic and chop up finely.

In large kettle add 2-4 tablespoons of olive oil. Heat and add the vegetables you have chopped. Sauté for several minutes, until the onion is translucent.

Add:

1 pound ground beef (or ground turkey)
3 large links of Sweet Italian Sausage (either pork or turkey).

Stir, breaking up meat, and browning, until it is completely cooked. Drain any fat you may have.

Add:

tomatoes
2 tablespoon Parsley
1 cup fresh Basil that you have torn to pieces (this is an important ingredient)
1 tablespoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning

Allow this to simmer very slowly for 1-2 hours, covered.

Then add:

3-4 small cans of tomato paste. Stir in well to dissolve. This will thicken your sauce and give it good body.

If your sauce does not thicken to your taste after 20 minutes, take the lid off and cook down a little.

This recipe freezes well. I often make a double batch and freeze it for the winter! You will be so glad you did!