Just a Daisy in the Meadow

I finally am making my own croutons; I’ve wanted too for awhile but didn’t have a recipe and wasn’t very creative enough to just make one up so . . . when we were at Delvin’s, Lily had some homemade ones there that were very good.  And now I have my very first batch in the oven. 

1 and 1\2 lb loaf of bread cubed.  Oven dry at 250 for 1 hour. Cool.

Melt butter and oil together. Stir in other ingredients.  Pour over cubs, stir well. Bake at 250 degrees for 45min. - 1 hr.  Cool.  Be creative, add or subtract as you like!

1\2 cup veg. oil

3\4 cup butter

1 tsp celery salt

1 tsp garlic salt

1 tsp onion salt

1 tsp dill weed

1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1\4 cup Parmesan cheese

This pie was first introduced to me by my dear mother-in-law and has become a favorite along with raspberry cream pie (which if I remember correctly I first ate at Marie Showalters ) I haven’t made it for a year I’m guessing; it’s been a long time - too long. So as grandma has the children for awhile this morning what am I doing? I’m making three Shoo-fly pies (we’re getting company over for supper tomorrow evening, but we might dig into the one tonight) and listening to music.

I used to listen to music a lot . . . but less and less as the years go by. I just can’t stand too much noise and commotion all at once . . . and that’s what music becomes when there’s too many things going on or too many children running around. The boys don’t appreciate it on when they are tying to concentrate on school and I can’t have it on at nap time on risk of waking up babies before they have had all the sleep they can get, and then it’s just too much to have it on during clean-up and supper prep, and oft times when it is quiet enough, I JUST WANT QUIET! . . . and soon there goes our day. So this morning I am thoroughly enjoying the “songs and hymns and spiritual songs and making melody in my heart to the Lord” and loving it!

Here’s the recipe:

Shoofly Pie

Combine flour and sugar. Cut in shortening. Reserve 1\2 for topping. Stir in molasses, egg and 3\4 cup of hot water into remaining crumbs. Mix until bubbly. Stir baking soda into remaining hot water. Add to batter until it foams almost to top. Pour into prepared pie crust. Top with reserved crumbs. Bake at 400 for 10 min, then reduce to 325 for 30 more minutes.

1 cup flour

2\3 cup brown sugar

1 Tbsp shortening

I cup King Syrup molasses

1 egg beaten slightly

I cup hot water

1 tsp baking soda

9″ unbaked deep-dish pie crust

This morning I made some muffins . . . were they ever good! . . . But they call for yogurt or sour cream.

This past week we’d ended up with an extra gallon of milk. On Saturday’s Japheth closes his store (which is 30 minutes from home) at 12:00 and runs another 20 minutes away to pick up milk for us and some of our friends and family. Can you believe that we have to travel that far away to get to a dairy farm??? He usually brings about 30 gallons in five gallon buckets. We go through six gallons a week ourselves! . . and that’s without making yogurt or ice cream. The children just love yogurt!!! They’ve been begging for me to make some more, but I just didn’t get around to it till this week and having an extra gallon made me get it done. A blessing, not?

So if ya want to try them out here tis.

Vanilla Yogurt (It really is very easy! . . . and your children will LOVE it! We make it by the gallon.)

1 gallon milk

1 cup instant milk

2 packages of unflavored gelatin

2 cup of plain yogurt

2 tsp of vanilla

sugar to your taste

Put the milk, instant milk and gelatin in a big kettle. Heat to 180 degrees. Put water in your tea kettle and bring to a boil awhile. Cool the milk to 110 degrees. Add plain yogurt and vanilla and sugar. Put in a plastic ice cream pail and set in the microwave with the kettle of boiling water. Let set overnight. (This is not microwaved!!! It just is a good insulated place to keep it warm.) Serve with strawberries or whatever you desire, but save some for your starter (plain yogurt) next time.

Raspberry Muffins

2 cup flour

1\2 cup sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

2 eggs

1\4 cup melted butter

1 cup yogurt (or you can use sour cream)

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries (I’m sure they would be good without raspberries too!)

Mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Separately, mix together eggs, butter, yogurt and vanilla. Add to dry ingredients. Fold in raspberries last. Fill muffin cups 3\4 full. Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes.

Last evening the ladies of our house, namely Loraine and I, ventured forth to purchase needed grocery items. It was a very relaxing time! Even growing up I remember having a hard time keeping up with mom at the grocery store, and now I find myself doing the same, dashing through aisles, trying to beat time.

Why is it that when we are on a date or Grandma is babysitting or we pay for a sitter that I subconsciously have to get back just as soon as possible? Somehow when Japheth watches the children I can relax alot easier.

Anyway on the way home, we prayed this prayer, (I hate coming home to a messy house, and I left it in an awful disarray ) “Dear God, please have Papa clean up the house.” Usually, he does something special with them outside or whatever and the house is just as bad or worse when I get home, but they’ve had fun! Anyway last evening our prayer was abundantly answered! The house was picked up and the hard floors mopped! Praise God for a caring husband!!!

Ranch Dressing though was not on our grocery list because we have the best receipe, given to us by a friend! Here tis:

Ranch Dressing

3\4 cup mayo or salad dressing (or can sub. with some yogurt)

1\4 sour cream ( I don’t always put this in )

2 tsp white wine vinegar or white vinegar

1 tsp - 1tbsp dried parsley (fresh is BEST) Can you tell I LOVE fresh parsley!

1\4 tsp pepper

1\4 - 1 tsp onion powder ( to taste)

1\4 tsp dry mustard

1 clove garlic or 1\2 - 1 tsp garlic powder

Add buttermilk ( I usually just use milk) to get desired consistency. Can also add Parmesan cheese if desired.

Here’s one of our favorite suppers! And of course it’s the BEST when you use fresh herbs! I recommend using them when you make this, especially for the first time, though sometimes I don’t have them on hand but make it anyway.

This does make a big portion, but if you’re like me I like having enough left over for another meal: This saves on time. We usually double the sauce and I don’t always put the called for amount of onions or chopped chicken in either.

Haitian Rice and Beans with Chicken Sauce

3 cup dry pinto beans
2 cup milk
1 tsp sugar
1\2 tsp lemon juice
5 & 1\2 cup dry white rice
1\2 cup oil
1\4-1\2 tsp black pepper
I Tbsp garlic powder or 6 garlic cloves
1 Tbsp dry or fresh chives
1 tsp dry or fresh parsley
1\8-1\4 tsp thyme
4 small or 2 large chicken bullion cubes

1.)Cook pinto beans, milk, sugar, lemon juice, and enough water until soft.

2.) Put oil in larger kettle. Heat, then add the strained beans (keep juice). Heat a little and add bean juice and spices and dry rice. Cover with 1 inch of water .

3.) Cook until no water is on top (Don’t stir much if at all). Allow to sit and steam (covered) until ready to eat (Turn stove off if basically done.)

The Sauce

3 cup chopped onion
1\3 cup olive oil
4 cup chopped chicken
4 cup chicken broth
6 Tbsp butter

Saute onion in the oil. Then add the chicken for a bit at the last. Then add it all to the broth, including the butter (Could also be used for sautéing)

“Better is dinner of herbs where love is,

than a fatted calf with hatred.” - Proverbs 15:17