Monday, January 30, 2012

A "Soup"er Day

Today I made soup.
A large kettle of ham and bean soup for today,
and two jars to tuck into the freezer for other days.
(When the cook needs a day off)



Saturday, January 28, 2012

Dilly Rolls

We are going to a soup and bread gathering tonight.
My sister suggested I bring Dilly Rolls.
She isn't even going....
so these photos are to make her regret staying home tonight.  :)


I cut this well loved recipe out of a Taste Of Home Magazine many years ago.
I thought I had shared it on this blog, but if I did, I couldn't find it.
So I will share it now.


Dilly Rolls

2 cups (16 ounces) small curd cottage cheese
2 Tablespoons butter
2 packages active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water
2 eggs
1/4 cup sugar
2 Tablespoons dried minced onion
1 to 2 Tablespoons dill weed
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
4 1/2 to 5 cups all- purpose flour (I use bread four)

In a large saucepan over medium heat, cook cottage cheese and butter until butter is melted.  Cold to 110 to 115 degrees.
In a large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in water.  Add eggs, sugar, onion, dill, salt, baking soda and cottage cheese mixture.  Add 3 cups of flour; beat until smooth.  Add enough remaining flour to form a soft dough.  Turn onto a floured board; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes.  Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top.  Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.  Punch dough down.  Form into 24 balls; place in a greased 9x13 baking pan that has been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.  Cover and let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.  Yield:  2 dozen.

I actually just toss everything in my KitchenAid mixer and use the dough hook....huge time saver!

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

This IS My Year!!!

I have the needles.


I have the yarn.


I have the books.


I have no excuse!
This is my year....
and this is my "accountability post".

(We will see if this helps)   
:)


Sunday, January 22, 2012

Say That Three Times Fast

Sheila spent six sick days in Scottsdale.
Sheila spent six sick days in Scottsdale.
Sheila spent six sick days in Scottsdale.

That about sums it up....

(Drawing made by Emily 9 years ago.)

Some things you just never get 'sick' of.  :)
It is good to be home.

Thursday, January 12, 2012

Snow

Seriously,
I thought this is would be the most snow we would see all winter!

We are getting some snow....and wind....and cold...
but since I am on my way to Arizona...
who cares!!!!!
Traveling with friends.
Guys are running the P.F. Chang Half Marathon on Sunday.
Girls are just gonna have fun!!!!!



Wednesday, January 11, 2012

The Old Cradle

In 1888 Media Dorothea Seline was born.
She was my Great-Grandmother.
She was called Thea.
She had a sister named Emily.

Thea and Emily each had a china doll and a cradle.
One china doll sits in my curio cabinet,
waiting to be passed on to the next generation.

The cradle was not given such care.
My Grandma played with it.
My Mother played with it.
My sisters and I played with it.

My girls weren't impressed with it.
I am not sure how many colors of paint has covered it over the years, but the nails were rusting and the paint (most likely lead) was chipping.

I decided to resurrect it.


It was made from an old fruit crate.
It has been many colors over the generations.
The crude workmanship has held up quite well.
One end has been broken.



I had some fun vintage fabric, so I sewed up a little cushion for the bottom.


And of course I couldn't resist this wooden mobile that I found at the Goodwill.


And because the latest generation is more into bears than dolls....



 (I didn't get a very accurate picture of the color....one was in the sunshine and the other at night under the light)

~~~~~~

I have a confession.

I had no idea Great-Grandma's name was Media until yesterday!
I feel rather sheepish about not knowing.

My Grandma emailed me the information when I asked if she knew any history about the cradle.

This was my reply,
"I never knew her name was Media! ....not that I would have named either of my daughters that."  ;)

(I do have an Emily, however)!


Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Great Grandpa's Quilt

Great Grandpa Ed lived a long life.
I remember him.
Old and kind,
 but sort of scary.

Grandpa lost an eye in his younger days.
I think that is what made him seem kind of scary.

Grandpa loved farming.
He was known to head to 'Dakota' to help with harvest.
He took a heavy old quilt to keep him warm.

That quilt saw many, many years.

Now it lives on in squares....

one with each of Grandpa Ed's Great-Grandchildren.



I filled them with crushed walnut shells.


I am using mine as a pin cushion.


Not all of Grandpa's 20 Great Grandchildren even knew him,
but I made them a square anyway.

50% of the quilt had unrepairable holes...
not bad for a 100 year old quilt!

Great Grandpa Ed looking less 'scary' with his glass eye.  :)




Monday, January 9, 2012

Beans and Cornbread

Simple Sunday night supper.

I mixed up these beans after dinner and let them bake all afternoon at 300 degrees.

Then right before my sister and her family came, I mixed up some cornbread.


Pretty simple. 


1 pound of bacon cut and fried....

Add a little onion at the end of frying,
Stir in:
1 pound precooked baby lima beans,
1/4 cup white vinegar
3/4 cup ketchup
1 1/4 cup brown sugar


Friday, January 6, 2012

Use It Or Lose It

I have had a cough for way too long.
This past week I added a cold along with it.
It was the motivator I needed to mix up a batch of honey and lemon to add to some tea.
I don't usually drink tea.


I have decided that I will either start using most of the things I have taking up space around my house.....
or I will be getting rid of it.

Like the dishes in my hutch.

I use the coffee mugs all the time,
but it was seriously the first time in all these years that I have used a tea cup.

I may have to take up drinking tea....
because I don't think I am ready to part with these yet.



Thursday, January 5, 2012

The Rhythm Of Routine

Christmas is wonderful.
I love every minute.
But there is just something about getting back into the routine of of life.
(More popularly called "rhythm" right now)

So today I will stay home and work on my "rhythm".  :)

Monday, January 2, 2012

Why Santa Appeared

We celebrate Christmas.
We decorate a tree.
We give gifts.


We hang stockings.
'Santa' leaves something practical in them.
We have always been honest when our kids got to the age where they asked if Santa really lives in the North Pole, has flying reindeer and elves and comes down our chimney with gifts.

We will do the same with our Grandchildren.

But for now, we will just smile and pack away the Santa suit and see what happens next year.


Friendie had no idea that was his Grampie behind those glasses and tacky beard.
And why would his Grampie have a Santa suit?
Because his good friend purchased two of them for their Christmas Eve morning run!
They ran 6 miles in full costume!
They did need to stop at the hospital admissions desk though....
skinny Santa needed a pin to hold his pants up!!!

And that is why Santa appeared at our house this year.


Sunday, January 1, 2012

Welcome

Welcome New Year!

My husband turned 48 yesterday.
I am not far behind.
It sounds old.
Good thing we don't act our age!


We had a 'brown' Christmas....and now we are getting snow....and severe winds....sure hope our typical 5 months of snow isn't going to begin now!

This is the holly bush I planted this past year.
All year I anticipated using it to decorate for Christmas.
Because of the lack of fall moisture, every other leaf was crunchy and only two dried up red berries remained.
I cut some anyway.



As the wind whips off our lake and the storm windows rattle, I am grateful for a warm home and family tucked together inside.
And I am grateful for a New Year.