In the Kitchen

I must say that, even though I mostly enjoy everything I do, being in the kitchen is a special thing for me. Of all my activities, planning meals and cooking are special pleasure. 
I am looking forward to cooking Thanksgiving Dinner.  I mean a Traditional Thanksgiving Dinner with Turkey, dressing, cranberry sauce, and home-made sweet potato pie.  Hubby will probably smoke the turkey on the outdoor charcoal grill, but I will make the southern style cornbread dressing and giblet gravy and all the trimmings.  I'll cheat and buy cranberry sauce in a can this time and probably make the green bean casserole with mushroom soup and the canned french fried onions.  That is easy to do and a usual hit.  The problem is not to cook too much when you don't have very many people around to do the eating.  We will have to get busy the rest of the week and invite some added guests to help us out on the eating part.

For the ESN scavenger hunt this week we are looking for things In The Kitchen.
I know that many are cutting back on spending this holiday season and I was just noticing how many really neat small gift items that are shown on ESN photos when I search kitchen decor.  Cleos Collectables has all sorts of neat decorator items for the kitchen.  There are items for any theme, such as these lovely theme based items.

Set of 2 Ritz Fat Italian Chef Kitchen Towels

These kitchen linens which richly compliment a grape themed kitchen

The Perfect plaque for someone's coffee themed kitchen.

Or you may know someone who collects salt and pepper shakers.  If so, take a look at these shops.  You might find themed salt and peppers to match someone's kitchen or the ones they need to make their china set complete.

made in Occupied Japan

Comycgyrl has this unusual and collectible
Occupied Japan Anthropomorphic Whimsical Eggplant Grape Turnip Salt and Pepper Shaker Set

And these Westinghouse Gemco Milk Glass Salt and Pepper Shakers with Butterflies and Flowers

Gemco Salt and Pepper Shakers

Vintage Japan Gingerbread Couple.

And this too, too precious Gingerbread Man and Woman among many others.

From England, Apple Design

Or this elegant English Set from Eccentric Thrifter
         might appeal to you. 

You can find even more Salt and Pepper Sets Here

Another thing I love, myself, that would be a great gift idea is cookbooks.  You can find holiday cookbooks like Santa's Favorite Cookies.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Or a good basic "how to cook" book
                                                                                         like many of us learned to cook by, 
                                                                                     such as the Sunset "Good Cook's Handbook"

from My Book Barn

from Book Worm Bargains

Search Recipes on ESN to find more.

I wish everyone a wonderful Thanksgiving. I hope you all enjoy the good food and the time with family and friends. Be sure to count your blessings every day.

Warm Fuzzies To Make You Cozy on Cold Winter Days

Wow, this week we have had a sample of what we can expect this winter here in Southeast Texas. It doesn't usually get very cold here temperature-wise, but just like the humidity in the summer which causes the heat index to rise, the damp, dreary days have a coolness that is bone chilling. That's how the weather was yesterday: Cool and cloudy with a mist or drizzle all day long. By contrast, today the sun is shining and the north wind is blowing and the air is dry again. Hubby remarked this morning that the temperature was the same as yesterday, but it sure feels a lot warmer and nicer.

On cool days, I enjoy cooking hearty soups or stews, spaghetti with a robust sauce, or a big pot of pinto beans. Or course, you have to have rice and/or cornbread with the beans. In these parts, "Red Beans and Rice" is a favorite. Growing up in South Central Texas, we were not so big on rice and ate corn bread with our beans. I have found that you can speed up the cooking of the beans if you cover them with water--after washing and sorting them, of course--and bring them to a full rolling boil.  After this, you turn off the heat and let them sit--or is that set?--for one hour.  After the hour, you add your seasonings, spices, meat, sausage, whatever and more water.  You bring them to a boil again and then put on a lid, turn down the fire and let them simmer until the beans are done.  This usually isn't too long. Maybe 2 or 3 hours.  I like to put a bit of onion, some garlic powder, a couple of tablespoons of brown sugar, some chili powder, maybe some herbs like thyme and if it is plain beans a couple of slices of bacon.  I have been known to add a finely diced carrot to "sneak" in a bit of veggies and sometimes we have link sausage sliced or diced up in the beans.  Another good thing to add might be some browned and crumbled hamburger meat. Guess this is a "dash of this and a pinch of that" recipe.  Haven't cooked beans yet that weren't enjoyed by all, though.

I have enjoyed cooking this week and also doing the scavenger hunt for ESN to find warm, fuzzy, and cozy items. I have found some neat items among the photos at ESN and encourage you to take time to visit the Ecrater Networking Site to shop or to promote your own ecrater store.

First, I found a soft, warm, fuzzy faux fox fur stole.  I would so love to just feel this luxurious faux fur.  How warm and cozy can you get?  I don't think we really "need" this in our climate, but it would be so appealing on a cold winter day and I know some of you could really use it.

Regina Glenara Faux Fox Fur Capelet Stole

from Gigi's Consignment Closet

Here's something to keep  you snug all day long and how appropriate with Thanksgiving coming up. 

Attitude of  Gratitude Sweat Shirt

at

Embroidery Fashions Boutique

Hunting is a big thing in our area through the fall and winter. And Camo anything is all the rage.  We even have had camo guitars in our music store.  Of course, there are always the jokes about not being able to see them.  Don't know how warm, or fuzzy, or cozy this might be, but here is a sample of camo for "your little hunter" or would be hunter.  It should keep the cold north wind at bay.

Camo for the Hunter in your family at Eccentric Thrifter

And this beautiful scarf is one of the many in various colors you can find at Eccentric Thrifter.  Just perfect to keep you warm and cozy when wintry winds blow.



Handmade Double-sided Scarf Off White Cream Loom Knit at Eccentric Thrifter



And lastly,  a neat, collectible  soup mug for those delicious  soups, stews, and even  red beans that warm you from the inside out.



 

Campbell's Soup Mug available at

 Bargain Express

Happy Shopping to Everyone and may your winter be filled with warm, fuzzy, cozy things. 

It's Fall! October Daisies and other Fall Teasures!

Fall has come to Southeast Texas with cooler weather and drier air.  This summer has been an extreme sauna with near 100% humidity.  Needless to say, we have been enjoying the past month.  It seems fall is everyone's favorite time of year...especially this year.  One of my favorite things about fall is the "October Daisies" that grow in this part of the country.  They always bloom for my "middlest" child's birthday on September 30.  This year I did not even notice them until Sept. 30, and there they were in full bloom by the field's full.  And they continue blooming.  Of course, we haven't had any cloudy days to speak of this fall, but when we have in years past, the October Daisies are like a little bit of sunshine on a cloudy day.

 

 

One thing I've done recently is to join ESN, Ecrater Stores Network. It is a super site for Ecrater store owners and shoppers.  You can check out ESN here. A fun thing we are doing  now is a scavenger hunt for fall items.

Here are some treasures that I have found on ESN that can add cheer to your fall days:

From the The Embroidery Fashions Boutique

a wonderful  "Happy Thanksgiving" Apron

I have recently realized the importance of a good apron myself and this looks like one I would make good use of.

 My daughter who is "into" aprons right now forwarded this to me, and I have seen it on several other blogs. You might enjoy it, too.

The History of the Apron

I don't think our kids know what an apron is.

The principal use of Grandma's apron was to protect the dress underneath, because she only had a few, it was easier to wash aprons than dresses and they used less material, but along with that, it served as a potholder for removing hot pans from the oven.

It was wonderful for drying children's tears, and on occasion was even used for cleaning out dirty ears.

From the chicken coop, the apron was used for carrying eggs, fussy chicks, and sometimes half-hatched eggs to be finished in the warming oven.

When company came, those aprons were ideal hiding places for shy kids.

And when the weather was cold, grandma wrapped it around her arms.

Those big old aprons wiped many a perspiring brow, bent over the hot wood stove.

Chips and kindling wood were brought into the kitchen in that apron.

From the garden, it carried all sorts of vegetables. After the peas had been shelled, it carried out the hulls.

In the fall, the apron was used to bring in apples that had fallen from the trees.

When unexpected company drove up the road, it was surprising how much furniture that old apron could dust in a matter of seconds.

When dinner was ready, Grandma walked out onto the porch, waved her apron, and the men knew it was time to come in from the fields to dinner.

It will be along time before someone invents something that will replace that 'old-time apron' that served so many purposes.

********

Here's another "pretty" from Bass Bead Gallery to cheer your fall season.  It makes me think of the orange and yellow corn candy we used to get a Halloween. Looks good enough to eat, but really think  this "Howling Good Time" Bracelet would better enhance your fall ensemble. 




Howling Good Time Bracelet from Bass Bead Gallery



And here is another bit of nostalgia.

1940's Fall Coat Pattern

Whether you would want to actually sew this fall coat or whether you collect old patterns, or study fashion history, here is a real treasure from Another Time Antiques. 
 
Fall is truly a wonderful time of the year.  Enjoy whatever it brings in your part of the world.

Mimi's Birthday

Minta Allison Freeman

September 22,1920-September 22, 2010

90th Birthday

On September 25, 2010 we celebrated Mimi's 90th birthday.  Her birthday was actually on Wednesday, September 22, but we choose to have the party on Saturday.  She actually had some visitors all through the week before and some friends called and visited the next week.  No telling how many phone calls  she received from friends and relations wishing her a happy birthday.  Plus she received scads of cards and several beautiful flower arrangements.

Here are some pictures of the cake and flowers she received and the decorations.  Unfortunately, I didn't get pictures of the guests  as her neice Diane did.

The delicious and beautiful cake was made by Valta Crosby.

The table with cake and many floral arrangements.

The dining room table and back drop.

Silk arrangement with goose made by her neighbors.

Deviled Egg Plates

Cute, Colorful Froggy Egg Plate

Adorable Bunny Egg Plate for Easter or Spring Motif

I have just found these really neat deviled egg plates with salt and pepper shakers.  I also found out some interesting history about deviled eggs.  Have you ever heard of Eggs Mimosa.  They make it sound like that is another name for deviled eggs, but the actual recipe shows it is something different even though you might see  how one evolved into the other.
I also didn't know that the term "deviled" originally had to do with hot or spicy.  Here are a couple of links about deviled eggs and the history of them.

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/216014/the_origin_of_the_deviled_egg.html?cat=22

and recipes for eggs mimosa:  http://www.russcooks.com/mimosa.html  http://www.mycatholictradition.com/recipe-appetizer-eggs-mimosa.html

Garage Sale Finds

I am so excited. After a long spring, summer and early fall of going to garage sales that can only be described as disappointing, we are now finding some really fantastic "treasures".  Of course, it helps also that for the last two weeks or so the weather has been cooler and the air has been unusually dry for East Texas.  It has  been so pleasant to be out in the brisk morning air searching for treasures. And the sales certainly have been much, much more appealing in their content.  I  know the people holding them have had a much more pleasant time doing it than those in the heat and humidity of the summer. We made some spectacular finds.  For example, last   week I saw a beautiful, no actually  a gorgeous, platter that I just had to have. It was a frosted pink and looked like it had beads or jewels molded into the glass.  I had no idea who made it or any thing about it, only that it was beautiful and different.  The funniest part is that a few sales later, I found another identical plate with a two part relish dish.  Really struck me as odd, since I had never seen one like it before that day and now I found two of them.  The price was right, so I snatched up both of those pieces as well. A bit of on-line research  revealed that these pieces are Mikasa Rosella. I found that Rosella Mikasa is an elegant shaded pink crystal, with molded or prescut flowers and leaves. The pattern was made 1989 through 1997 then discontinued. It is fairly thick glass with sculptured and frosted leaves and deeper pink sculptured flowers. The art work is on the underside of the bowl and the top is smooth. Seems it was made in Western Germany, by Walther Glass.  Of course, after 1990 or so, it must have been Made in Germany. It is truly lovely.  The platters I have are 12.75 inches in diameter.  The two part relish dish is 11.25 inches x 7

Mikasa Rosella Serving Platter

Two Part Relish Dish

Mikasa Rosella

The very next week, I found another Mikasa glass dish. It is a Mikasa Celebrations 9.5 " Bonbon Dish in the original box.  It is part of the Holiday Landscape Collection. It is made in the same technique as the Rosella pieces, but it is clear with some red and green.  It is a great holiday piece. .

Some other "treasures" I've found recently include: A pair of Susan Winget plates which I have found to be part of a set of 4. I have the sheep and the pig.

 I just want to tell you and show you all the fabulous items that I've found. "Treasures to Brighten Your Day!"

but I will add more as I can on my ecrater store at http://hazelshodgepodge.com/.

Getting back into the swing--of blogging

Well, this blog has been neglected long enough.  Years ago, back in the age of snail mail, I used to write lots and lots of letters. This was even before it was common to call long distance to visit and keep up with family and friends.  It was always a treat to get a letter from family or friends who lived in other cities or areas of the country.  It was also fun for me to write about the happenings of my growing family and keep the grandparents apprised of what was going on with us. As time went by, the letters became fewer and fewer and instant communication became more and more common. But do we really communicate with the depth and concern that people did in times gone by?

I can remember when a long distance call almost certainly meant that someone dear in a distant place had passed away. No one back in the 1950's called long distance just to chit chat or even to make plans for a visit. That was done via handwritten letters delivered by the post office. I have even heard of a family back in the 1940's who took off and drove quite a distance to visit relatives only to find out the relatives had decided the same day to visit them.  Both families drove across the state to see each other only to miss connections. This was probably not uncommon, as there was no instant communication available. Chances are at least one of these families did not even have a telephone.
In the 1960's,  people would call long distance on the land line but usually try to keep the call short and too the point.  Then, we would often call on weekends or evenings to get the best rate and be able to talk longer for the same money or spend less money for the call.   

As late as the 1950's many people, even in cities, still had party lines.  If you were on a party line, often each party had a different ring, such as long and short rings and everyone of the 4 or 8 households on the party line could hear whenever anyone's phone rang.  We were on a 4 party line in San Antonio when I was small.  We could not hear anyone's phone ring except our own, but if you picked up the phone to make a call and another party was talking, you could hear them.  Being on a party line had a lot of draw backs, but I'm sure a lot of people listened in to others conversations and knew a lot about their neighbors that way.

And can you imagine a world where if you were not at home, you just missed any call that came in? There was not even an answering machine and certainly no caller id.  If you, or anyone on your party line, were talking and someone else called they just got a busy signal.  No call waiting either. You never knew who had called unless they called back later.  Answering machines and voice mail were big advancements.  Now you could at least get a message that someone had called and missed you. Telephone tag ensued.  Add caller id, call waiting, and call forwarding. Wow!

Next came email and cell phones. Email and instant messaging allowed instant communication with almost anyone in the world.  I had delusions of being able to communicate with family through email. This has not worked out. People don't always check email and it seems that so many emails lack the personal touch of a real letter. That's not always the case, but so many things are just passed around and there is so much spam, it is hardly worthwhile.  I have enjoyed instant messaging with some friends and relatives at times however and enjoy emails that are personal with real news and possibly pictures.
Now cell phones make it possible to always have a phone at hand. Again instant communication and the ability to text message any time and any place.

With iThis, iThat, laptops, blackberries, facebook, my space, instant messaging and all sorts of things this Granny is not up on, we can know instantly when someone sneezes anywhere in the world.  But, then I don't think we know each other as well as people did way back when we wrote letters.
Maybe that is the purpose of blogs today--to write in depth, to express opinions, to share your life in ways that more instant forms of communication miss.

At any rate, I intend to use this blog  more consistently from here on out. It can be the outlet that letter writing and journaling have been in the past.  True, it will continue to be a hodgepodge of topics, ideas, and interests, but that is my life. 
Expect to be back soon, expounding on various and sundry things.
Granny Hazel