Countdown…New Year’s Eve

Well, Christmas day has come and gone, and now we are counting down to the New Year and thinking about resolutions!

After our first white Christmas since 1975, the year my daughter was born, I am not complaining that we are snowed in! I love the snow, and as I don’t have anywhere to go, we are just enjoying a lazy day… all snugly and warm.

Now it is time to think of the new year. Resolutions are made, and in my case, forgotten on January 2.  This year, though, I do have one year that I want to make sure I do.

RACK is Random Acts of Christmas Kindness (I prefer Random Acts of Christian Kindness!)  I have just challenged my Facebook friends to join me on the page I created to share ideas! Wouldn’t it be amazing, the  number of acts of kindness that would be performed, if we just did one a day, every day? Come join us!

Lots of people have traditions for this holiday, too!  Some people go out and party, others stay in and celebrate with the family. For my sisters and I, and our guys, we have always enjoyed turning on the karaoke machine and singing our little hearts out, between lots of breaks for snacking! Check out my Pinterest boards here for yummy appetizers and desserts!

If you don’t have a karaoke machine, you can sing for free online from your computer at this website. They have many songs to choose from!

Some people think they must eat black-eyed peas for good luck!  Here’s a recipe that sounds yummy I found it at Pauladean.com!

Photo belongs to Pauladean.com!

I found these cute cookies over at Annie’s Eats!

Over at yesterdayontuesday.com blog, links to some really clever ideas for New Year’s party will inspire you to celebrate the good times. Check it out here! Countdown to New Year’s Eve

So what are you planning for New Year’s Eve, and do you have any resolutions? Please share with me!

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How to Store Leftover Pasta

Yesterday I posted a recipe for the  spaghetti sauce we served in our restaurant…

which got me to thinking about noodles…

then time savers and saving money.

I know…

I am random!

If you are short on time during the holiday season, (or anytime) you can save some valuable meal time by preparing a spaghetti meal ahead of time!

Spaghetti sauce is better the next day, no matter what recipe you use. Mine makes several gallons, although you may have a recipe you love with less servings.

Or you can grab the spaghetti sauce recipe and can some, it will save a lot of time when you need it later!

Same thing with noodles, cook them ahead of time. This should work with any kind of pasta.

After cooking your spaghetti noodles al dente, immediately stop the cooking process by immersing in ice-cold water. This will stop the breakdown of the starch, and the pasta won’t get gummy and  stick together.

Cook and store in the fridge in a container of water just covering the pasta. It will keep for a good while.

To reheat noodles…

• Immerse in boiling water until noodles are hot, then use a colander to drain or a slotted spoon.
• Or drain noodles and heat it in the microwave on a plate.

Throw together a quick salad, or open a packaged bag of salad, grill some garlic bread and you are good to go! (The kids can help do this!)

Try it and let me know what you think!

Share your kitchen time saving tips!

Have a great Christmas season! ~Evie

Spaghetti Sauce Recipe For A Crowd

This photo is property of public domain.

Need spaghetti sauce for a crowd, or for canning?

Several years ago we ran a small restaurant, the owner of the building (RIP) shared his know how with me for spaghetti sauce and some of the best chili ever (in my humble opinion!)

Several of the women over at the Canning Granny blog requested the recipe, so I thought I would share with you all!

Even if you don’t want to can it, it makes a large amount, and can be made ahead of  serving time for large gatherings!

The ingredients:

• 5 pounds ground beef
• 1 gallon stewed tomatoes
• 1 gallon tomato sauce
• 1 or 2 Tbsp Italian Seasoning
• 1 Tbsp oregano
• few bay leaves
• 3 bell peppers, chopped
• 6 onions, chopped
• 2 large cans (8 oz.) mushrooms (stems and pieces)
• 2 packages spaghetti sauce mix (to thicken)
• 4 Tbsp. minced garlic (or garlic powder)
• paprika (to color)

This is how he showed me to make the sauce. You will need a  three gallon stock pot or something of similar size.

Chop peppers and onions. Add all  ingredients except for the ground beef in a stock pot. (It doesn’t matter what order.)

Tear chunks of the ground beef about 3/4 inch to an inch in diameter and drop into the sauce.

Cook until the meat is thoroughly cooked.

Remove bay leaves.

I would love your opinions on canning this, because as I said, I have only prepared it for the restaurant.

I wonder about omitting the mushrooms, possibly using another thickener, with some tomato powder.

This at least will give you an idea of quantities and seasonings.

Would love to hear what you think!

Hope this helps!

Have a blessed day! ~ Evie

Thursday’s Tidbits! Hot Reuben Dip

Last Christmas I was staying with my daughter during her bout with cancer.

Her mother in law, Barb, made this recipe for our Christmas Eve get together.

I had never eaten anything  like this, and it is a wonderful dish to serve instead of the usual dips.

It is simple to make, stays warm in a crock pot, and is an excellent appetizer for parties.

Reuben Dip

Barb Kubinski’s Hot Reuben Dip

8 ounces cream cheese, softened                                                                                                                                                                                                               2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Swiss cheese
6 ounces deli sliced corned beef, chopped
½ cup Thousand Island dressing
1 16 oz. can drained sauerkraut

Serve with cocktail size rye bread squares.

Put in crock pot, melt cheeses, and stir! Serve warm! Delicious!

Since last Christmas my friend lost her battle with cancer. She is missed.

RIP Barb Kubinski.

Wacky Wednesday

Wow, its Wednesday.  Hump day.

On a roll. Downhill slide.

Busy schedules and the rush of the holidays have you running short on time?

Kids want dessert?

Many moons ago, my mother was a cook at our school cafeteria, and they made this simple cake often.

Everyone loved Wacky Cake! Thankfully she taught me how to make it, too… ’cause I love chocolate and sometimes I don’t have eggs!

This is such an inexpensive dessert,  and the kids can even mix it up. (No mixer needed, just stir until the lumps are gone.)

Here it is, a delicious, easy to make dessert for this Wacky Wednesday.

Did I mention it’s chocolate?

I made these to give as gifts!

Wacky Cake

6 tablespoons cocoa
3 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1 cup oil
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 tablespoons vinegar
2 cups cold water
1 teaspoon vanilla

Sift or mix all dry ingredients together in a big bowl (or even in the  9 x13 inch cake pan you are going to bake it in). Add liquids and stir until smooth.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

Or… bake the batter in wide mouth pint jars filled about half full of batter. (Check after 35 minutes.)

Sterilize lids in water while baking cake.

When cakes are done (toothpick test), put lids and rings on jars, finger tighten, and wait for the ping.

Now you have gifts ready to tag! These makes wonderful troop gifts for care packages, or for when someone shows up unexpectedly. Makes nice individual mini loaf  size pans for inexpensive gifts for co workers, teachers, and friends.

Frosting

1 cup sugar

4 tablespoons cocoa

1/3 cup milk

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup butter

Mix together and boil for 2 minutes. Stir until cool, pour over cooled cake.

Or… sift powdered sugar over cooled cake… or don’t frosted… or make a powdered sugar glaze, pour over warm cake!

The following is my favorite icing for this Wacky cake, although most times I don’t even add icing.

Powdered Sugar Glaze

2 cups powdered sugar
3  tablespoons  liquid (milk – water – fruit juice, etc.)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla, optional

Combine ingredients and mix until smooth. Pour over warm cake.

*Glaze is good on cookies, cakes and breads.

WACKY? Well, yeah!

Sorry for the double spacing on the one recipe. This computer is wacky, too!

Entering The Christmas Zone!

It’s that time again!

Gearing up for Christmas!

🙂

Thanksgiving is over, Black Friday and Small Business Saturday, Cyber Monday have all passed without further ado! Now is the time to think about the reason for the season.

LOVE!

Brrr, baby it’s cold out there!  I need hot chocolate. (I love hot chocolate!)

Cup of hot chocolate with whipped cream (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Here’s a  quick  holiday idea for making gifts teachers, friends, etc. My kids love  this hot chocolate mix.  Adapted and tweaked from Grandma Dot’s recipe to…

Evie’s  Hot Chocolate Mix!

1 – 8  ounce jar cocoa powder

1 – 8 quart package  non fat dry milk (about 10 cups)

1 -16 ounce package sifted powdered sugar (about 3 -3/4 cups)

1 -10 ounce jar powdered non dairy creamer

Optional * pinch of cinnamon and whipped cream or marshmallows. I like to add a peppermint stick to my gifts!

My grandson, Justin doesn’t like cinnamon so I just add it to my cup!

~ In large bowl mix all ingredients except optional items. Store in airtight container. For one serving add about one fourth cup hot chocolate mix to one cup boiled water. Let cool before drinking!

Last year for teachers and friends, the grand kids and I did Rudolph Hot Chocolate Treats .

For over a year I have pinned these holiday ideas, and here’s the mother load! I thought maybe you would like to check out my Pinterest board full of Christmas ideas.

Many are do-it-yourself, easy decorations, crafts, and ornaments that will make your holiday brighter.

Enjoy and don’t forget to follow Evie’s Gardens here and on Facebook!

Thanks ~ Evie

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Holiday’s Are Coming!

As a child I remember going to our grandparents’ home. My grandfather managed a dairy, his father owned Pippin’s dairy when he grew up.

Just a blast from the past I thought I would share!

My great grandparents on the Pippin/Sams Branches of our Family Tree.

Made me think back, then forward. Family memories rock. Period. No one has your family and your life time memories. They are tucked away somewhere in your mind,  just to jump back in there right at the holidays. I know, right?

I love to make memories with my grandchildren and my children!

Last year while at my daughter’s, I had a wonderful time with my grandchildren, Ashley and Cooper doing “random acts of  Christmas kindness“, which from now on, will be referred to as RACK.

From making cookies for the neighbors and the fire fighters to picking up trash in the neighbors yards, we did an act of kindness from Thanksgiving through Christmas.

It’s the beginning of the holiday season, and I am looking forward to some family and friends’ time!

Every year at this time when my Thanksgiving cactus blooms, I start thinking about the fun ahead.

Last year we had a blast making gingerbread houses with Brittnee and Kye, two more of my grands who were visiting from Oklahoma. The kids had fun, the left over Halloween candy is history, and we made some precious memories.

This year’s holiday season started off sad, with an unfortunate accident that took the life of my nephew. My sister in law’s sister passed away, and there is lots of sickness going around.

Our local VFW Post and our auxiliary make Thanksgiving dinner for our community who don’t have family, or can’t afford to make such a meal. We take donations to help cover the cost.

Mr. M and I usually contribute by pitching in where ever we can. It’s such a little thing to spend your time making peanut butter sandwiches for those in need. Then we feast on a meal that is blessed by many doing RACK. Oh, yeah!

Then Countdown to Christmas! Check out my Pinterest board for a fun, easy inexpensive Christmas craft to do with your kiddos for teachers’ gifts, or for party favors.

Hot chocolate, anyone?

The number of cakes in the jars for my troop and family Christmas gifts is increasing, if I can keep the man out of them! 😉 I am making extras to have for when company drops by! My favorite so far is the egg-less, milk-less chocolate cake!

Remember the reason.

Enjoy the season.

Give thanks.

And RACK on!

Cake In A Jar? Oh, Yeah!

For those of you who follow me, are kin to me, love me… (tee-hee), you know our Ladies Auxiliary is gearing up to send Christmas packages to our troops whom we have adopted.

You also know I have been making cakes, breads, and brownies in jars to send to our military for those care packages.

So yesterday I was thinking (yeah, I know, scary, huh?); wondering what I could do next, thinking back over all the yummy goodness I have baked and eaten in my lifetime.

I thought about the first time as a newly married (very young) wife when I invited my parents over to eat, making one of Dad’s favorite desserts, Pineapple Upside Down Cake.

Hey, I can still remember – it hasn’t been that many years ago.

That got me to thinking, again… okay, stop laughing y’all.

How could I adapt that scrumptious dessert to a jar? Well, as you know, I had to try.

Just remember,  for those of you who are diabetic… don’t let your friends tempt you to eat the whole thing. (Christy Badgwell! 😉

That red and white checkered book where I found the recipe was my first cookbook…  a wedding gift from my Aunt Nadine, purchased with S and H green stamps.

The recipe has been a favorite in our home since then.

I renamed this, but  recipe is adapted from the BHG  (somewhere around 1970.)

 

Pineapple Upside Down – Right Side Up Yummies!

1 – 20 ounce can of chunk pineapple (I am sure crushed would work as well, I had chunk.)

6 tablespoons butter, melted

1 cup brown sugar

2/3 cup Crisco or shortening

1 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 cups all purpose flour

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thoroughly grease (I use a pastry brush) bottoms and sides of 5 wide mouth pint size canning jars. Don’t grease the top inch!

Drain pineapple, reserve juice. Add water to remaining  juice to make one cup liquid.

Melt butter in the microwave. Add brown sugar and two tablespoons of the reserved pineapple juice.

Drop pineapple chunks making a layer in bottom of  jar.  Divide the melted butter – brown sugar mixture between your five jars.  Save enough to swirl some on top! (Maraschino cherries, optional.)

Meanwhile… cream together shortening and sugar until light. Add eggs and vanilla. Beat until fluffy.

In another large bowl, mix dry ingredients, stirring with a whisk, (or sift ) until mixed. Add alternately with reserved pineapple juice.

Fill jars approximately half full with batter.

Divide remaining pineapples, drop on top.

Swirl remaining brown sugar and butter sauce on top of batter in each jar.

Sprinkle flaked coconut on top.

Wipe the top part of the jar down with a damp paper towel to make sure nothing hampers the sealing process.

Bake  at 350 for approximately 40 minutes. Oven temperatures vary, check with toothpick. When toothpick comes out clean, cake is done.

At this point you probably should send the men out of the kitchen or there won’t be anything left.

Put seals and rings on, tighten. When you hear the ping… it’s sealed.

Oh, yeah, leave one be…  forget the seal and ring. You have to sample it! And then you can crash from the sugar rush!

Put in your pantry, or send a jar to one of our military people… they will love it!

For more information on sending packages to the troops check this out!

Happy eating! ~ Evie

Inspired Again!

Every day something inspires me to do better. Pinterest boards inspire me to do so much more… I love the hints, tips, and recipes!

Hot chocolate, anyone?

Last year while living and spending time with two of my favorite kids, we  looked on Pinterest to make Christmas presents for their teachers. We decided  to make our own Rudolphs!  After seeing  hot chocolate gifts, we started with a basic hot chocolate mix and did our thing.  This is the end result! We had fun making all them all.

You can use store-bought mix, or just comment and let me know, I will send you a link to the recipe that I have tweaked and used for years. It’s G’ma Dot’s!

Check it out… there are lots of inspiring links on my Pinterest boards. People inspire me to do crafty things around this homestead!

My friend and auxiliary sister turned eighteen recently. She inspires me!

Always amazes me to see a lady (Yes, you are a lady!) at this age, knowing what she wants from her life, and making to effort to do the best she can.

I get inspiration from those who supports our military at this young age and doing good for others,  when most are concentrating on the fun side of life.

The auxiliary I belong to… you inspire me, sisters!

Thank you for your service and your friendship!  I hope what we do helps someone along the way!

If you would be interested in joining the cause, check out www.ladiesauxvfw.org

Will you be my inspiration tomorrow? Looking forward to finding out.

My sister-in-law inspires me. Happy birthday, Evelyn Kay Thompson. Sharing her world tomorrow, maybe. 🙂

Have a fruit filled day! ~ Evie

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Every Day I Am…

If you spend a lot of time nurturing and tending your garden, you will understand what I mean when I say… every day I am shoveling, trellising, pruning, fertilizing, watering, transplanting, etc. You kindred gardening spirits will get it when I say I love it!

Grab your favorite beverage and follow me as I go through my day! I promise it will be informative, though tiring!  God knows I am tuckered out afterwards and we all are getting older by the minute!

Strawberries, oh, so sweet fresh from the patch… are you with me?

5 AM -ish. Alarm! I mean, rooster! George is already crowing, telling me to get up.

I stumble out of bed, into the kitchen, make coffee, and check in with Facebook!

I give all my peeps good wishes and catch up on my notifications.

Oh, wait… first, I ate breakfast, (quinoa,) and drank  more coffee! (Great start, great day!)

I spend the next few hours doing the above… shoveling, planting, watering, mulching, etc.

English: Quinua (Quinoa) plants near Cachora, Apurímac, Peru. Altitude: 3800m Deutsch: Quinua-Pflanzen (Quinoa) in der Nähe von Cachora, Apurímac, Peru. 3800m.ü.M. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Fast forward. About one o’clock  the smarter half of my brain said, “Eat! Woman!” (Notice the punctuation!) I decided I should (eat), so I stopped long enough to make (and eat) a sandwich.

Sit + eat + surf web = me

Last year on Pinterest I pinned this site and I discovered this wonderfully versatile, high protein, low starch; eat for breakfast, lunch, or dinner; food spelled quinoa, (pronounced keen-wah)… which I love. This is my best food find of the year or maybe a lifetime!  It’s almost as good as chocolate. You should try this!

No, I am not affiliated with the quinoa industry. I checked the web for info on growing this seed, and put together a Quinoa board on Pinterest! Lots of good links here!

By the way, quinoa is great in a meatloaf sandwich! Paula, did you know you were eating quinoa in that sandwich? 🙂

I did plant seed! They are already about two inches tall! If you’re interested in locating the seed, leave a comment below!

Needing to watch blood sugar levels, I limit my sugar intake. I have heard about the stevia plant for several years and want to learn more.

Still at the laptop, I searched for stevia. I am growing this plant, too!

I realize there is a controversy about this, same as with saccharin back in the day. I am learning more about stevia!  Supposedly it is sweeter than sugar, but doesn’t affect your blood sugar. I’m thinking, oh yes, sweet tea for me again!

I learned this tidbit about growing the plant. Pinch the top leaves off so the plant will spread. Lots of other species of plants will bush out if pruned this way, too.

Outside again, I prune stevia and pineapple sage. (And then I dug, watered, planted, fertilized some more – you know!)

I filled and started the dehydrator! It’s great for drying stevia and pineapple sage for later use. It’s doing that for me as I work. I love multitasking!

Now the next time I harvest these two plants, I plan to make jelly! I pinned this yummy sounding recipe for Pineapple Sage Jelly from the Herb Companion. Can’t wait to try it! I did make  four jars of strawberry orange marmalade yesterday, yum!

Outside, it  looks like grasshoppers are having a feast on my Mirandy rose-bush. Back to the computer for pest control info.

My Pinterest board on Pest Resistant links

Tiny Farm and Garden has a great post today about controlling garden pests the natural way!

My chicks loved the stinking hoppers. I think they were singing Party Hopping In The Yard Tonight as they were shuffling!

Hey, Fern! Grasshoppers! Come on! It’s a line dance… shuffle, shuffle!

Rose, Dorothy, and Blanche all tuckered, too, after eating all those hoppers!

The evening sun is sinking low, my blessings are calling… and it’s time to raid the garden for stir fry!

God bless you, have a great day, I’m glad you stopped by!

Evie 🙂

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